Summer isn’t over yet! There are a few weeks left and there’s an argument the best ones are still ahead of you - ESPECIALLY in terms of the most beautiful food pairings you could enjoy.

Heirloom tomatoes have never been sweeter. Figs are jammy again. Melons are absolutely perfect and the first apples, grapes and persimmons are making their grand introductions! It’s almost the confluence of two seasons, and this means a few interesting pairings of foods / snacks that you can make and enjoy while they taste their absolute best. Oh how lucky we are to live in a world full of nourishment!

If you’ve been feeling like you’re in a bit of a rut and just want something to spice / switch things up I urge you to just pick two ingredients and pair them well. And then enjoy!

Cappuccino + Warm Croissant
This is a pairing that transcends all seasons but is especially comforting once the weather starts gets cooler. Sometimes all you need to turn the worst weeks around is a good frothy morning cappuccino paired with a croissant that was just pulled out of the oven. Absolutely divine experience.

Prosciutto + Cantaloupe
Cantaloupes taste their best right now and having just one ribbon of prosciutto draped over the top is such an easy way to elevate it! Also takes literally no time to prepare. Perfetto.

Persimmons + Whipped Ricotta
Persimmons are only just arriving and they will keep tasting better. A sweet Fuyu persimmon paired with some whipped ricotta and even a little honey is a great snack to welcome Fall and start saying your goodbyes to summer (soon)!!

Sardines + Heirloom Tomatoes
I absolutely loveeee sardines. They’re one of the most nutritious things you can eat and are one of the best seafood options with the least amount of heavy metals (because they’re a tiny fish!). Grill some sardines and enjoy them with ripe heirloom tomatoes which will never taste better for the rest of 2026. You can also take the opportunity to pair it with some great sourdough and niche extra virgin olive oil (use code WARKITCHEN20 for 20% off zimmsorganics.com). Absolutely elite snack!

Raspberries + Chocolate
Raspberries are about to leave us and in my opinion they’re the BEST berry to pair with good dark chocolate. You can have this fresh or even coat your raspberries with dark chocolate and leave them in the fridge so it hardens on the exterior. Impossible to only have one.

Pomegranate + Sparkling
Beautiful pomegranate season is upon us and I always say freshly pressed pomegranate juice is one of the joys of life!! Get a good stainless steel mechanical press and juice them the way you would with citrus. I like serving them with a glass of sparkling water as well - it just goes so well together.

Honeycomb + Roquefort
Good honeycomb is incredible. It’s amazing enough on its own! But if there’s something you wanna pair it try a little chunk of roquefort. This isn’t something you literally combine and eat in one bite but take alternating bites with. Sweet against sharp. Biblical pairing.

Grapes + Ricotta
Hear me out. The next time you get a bunch of cold grapes to snack on just line the bowl with some ricotta right before you plate your grapes on top. Then pluck your grapes off the stem, dip them in a little creamy ricotta and engage in some deep leisure.

Date + Butter
This is an essential early Fall snack. Some might say it’s an overrated combo but imo they just had a bad date! The perfect medjool date split in the middle with a little bit of good butter (perhaps even compound butter) and a tiny pinch of sea salt is divine. Gone in one bite.

What are your favorite end of summer pairings?

Olive oil maxxing

Late summer is for olive oil maxxing. What makes @zimmsorganics special is that they are one of the few brands with a dedicated oil for every occasion. COOK for everyday cooking, HEAL for sipping and finishing, and HEAL+ for your daily shot.

The Forgotten Value of Homemaking

It is a beautiful and obvious thing to me that in the bringing up of children, the care of the home is something that we cannot afford to take lightly. Yet somewhere along the way - along this stream of history that we all play a part in we have lost our sense of the significant value of the homes in which we dwell. I am not speaking of the cost of the home, of course. I mean the value of homemaking - of understanding how precious and even crucial it is for home life to be given proper time and attention.

❋ Bakery-style pumpkin cream cheese muffins (w/ brown butter) by

“Pumpkin season is officially in full swing and these are a fall staple for a reason. If you loveee the pumpkin cream cheese muffins from Starbucks…then you’re in for a treat! These are a staple in my house this time of year, and I just have a feeling that they might become one for you, too.” —

❋ Good Taste Can’t Be Taught, Bought or Learned, Sorry AI by

“When it comes to good taste, you can’t explain what it is or why you have it, you either do or you don’t. It’s a feeling, a sensibility, a discernment that even those with a trained eye can only hope to achieve. Even now when trying to put it into words, I can’t. When you have good taste, you can identify if something inherently looks, feels, tastes or sounds good— and you can surely identify if it doesn’t.

For instance, I can’t explain why white cars (unless from 1980 or earlier) are inherently tacky, why a certain piece of furniture or tile choice screams “Pinterest”, why some vintage tees have a feeling and some don’t, why a vintage pair of Levi’s is only good if it’s faded in the exact right spots, why a chunky watch is cool on a girl, but cheesy on a dude. When something works and looks good, you just know. You can identify it, probably the way a genius can look at a complicated math equation and know the answer instantaneously. It either makes sense to you, or it doesn’t.” —

❋ 5 bites & sips that changed my mind on Irish food by

“Ok I know 50% of you are ready for pumpkin spiced lattes and baked goods, but hi I am the other 50% who is not yet ready to concede summer being over (even though I woke up kinda starting to crave cozy season…we’re not talking about it).

Don’t get me wrong, I love Fall, it’s my favorite month, but it doesn’t officially start for a few weeks. We have a few more weeks of warmth, humidity, and longer days, and so it’s time to soak it up as much as possible. I have created a recipe roundup of summer-centric bevs, smoothies, baked goods, meals, sweets & more to make before we dive head first into fall!!! If you’ve been wanting to make any of these the time is nowww. Tomatoes are perfect. Melons & stone fruit are still abundant. & it’s still hot enough to cool down with an iced bev, smoothie, or maybe some froyo…

Let’s get into it…” —

❋ Be More Childish by

“I’ve never forgotten a quote from Audrey Hepburn where she said: “I sleep marvelously well. I need eight or nine hours to make me completely happy; otherwise I long for a nap.” I always thought: how glamorous. Apparently, Hepburn slept every afternoon to manage the demands of long filming days. Each nap was followed by a square of chocolate to improve her mood.

I think part of Audrey’s charm was that she maintained a child-like spirit, and perhaps her dedication to rest has something to do with it. Growing up, I had a strict bedtime that was pretty early, around 8pm. In the summertime it was almost comical, being told to go to bed while the sun was still pretty much blazing. Oh, how I would love to be told to sleep that early every night without the weight of but I still have work to do, or there’s a deadline or I haven’t had enough time to myself today.” —

❋ A Corn Caramel Sundae by

“For those of us in Ontario, it’s time to make the most of local corn. If you’re growing tired of eating it off the cob, I suggest making this corn-infused caramel sauce. We are steeping heavy cream with corn kernels and then stirring that into a golden caramel. To me, it tastes like buttered popcorn and is absolutely fabulous as part of a late summer sundae. Leftover caramel is wonderful stirred into hot coffee or swirled on top of your next batch of brownies.” —

❋ Why I am anti-peptide injections by

“what we do know? many peptides (like retatrutide & BPC-157) are causing anhedonia. aka emotional numbness. loss of pleasure.

and it’s not a side effect, it’s how they work. they quiet the pleasure centers in the brain. even the ones that don’t work by quieting the pleasure centers (like BPC-157, melanotan & more) still mysteriously have this effect.

this is your brain, your personality, the essence of you and how you experience life. this is so dark & i find it quite terrifying.” —

❋ #118: Alessandra Bocchi by

“What does health, or being healthy, mean to you?

Being healthy to me, besides leading a healthy lifestyle based on eating organic foods, fitness, and physical wellness, is being in touch with the core of who you are and honoring who you were meant to become. Plato talks about this in his Republic. We are each born with particular dispositions, and I believe we need to be loyal to ourselves. That requires getting in touch with and knowing who we are.

For example, I studied political philosophy, and I loved philosophy. I would also draw in my free time. I became a journalist, which thrust me into a highly political environment, so these passions went into the back seat. Journalism was a great part of my life; it still is. However, during COVID, I had what one might call an existential breakdown. I didn’t feel what I was doing belonged to me anymore, only because the people from above were trying to control what I was allowed to say or not say. It was slowly chipping away at me. I’m not meant to be an employee unless I am provided with significant freedom. Otherwise, I last three months at best before I start feeling allergic to the job and shut down. I prefer to do things my own way. I ask for everyone’s advice and listen to it, but ultimately I do what I think is right.” — in

Rebuild your IG Algorithm (more fun links):

❋ Being copied is the most honest compliment that you will ever get

❋ A proper americano

❋ Orange date latte

❋ Your bed is not a filing cabinet

❋ Mousse in Paris

❋ It’s okay to leave a place because the lighting was florescent

❋ You don’t always have to preheat your oven

❋ Worst person to have coffee with

May you have the most glorious week!
— Rocky

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❋ All our digital issues are free to peruse. Explore our latest:

❋ Winter 25/26 Coffee Table Book (Print)

❋ Explore the full WARKITCHEN archive here.

❋ Join WARKITCHEN book club here.

❋ Got an article or recipe in mind? We’d love to hear more! Please send your pitch to rocky@warkitchen.net.

Words by Laura Dill.

It is a beautiful and obvious thing to me that in the bringing up of children, the care of the home is something that we cannot afford to take lightly. Yet somewhere along the way - along this stream of history that we all play a part in we have lost our sense of the significant value of the homes in which we dwell. I am not speaking of the cost of the home, of course. I mean the value of homemaking - of understanding how precious and even crucial it is for home life to be given proper time and attention.

My children will soon wake up and I’ll get to cover them in warm hugs and kisses and ask about their dreams. Then I’ll get to cook them a warm breakfast made with intention, made without a rush, and made with the help of their small and sticky little hands eager to crack eggs and knead dough. Through it all I’ll think to myself, how blessed am I! I have no where to be but right here with my children, pouring love into their little hearts, instilling in them a love for home life, for family, and appreciation for all the simple yet beautiful things God fills our days with. I get to watch my children learn and grow. I get to witness all the wonder that sparkles in their eyes as they discover new amazements that adults have grown dull to, and I get to enjoy this world of wonder along with them.

But sadly, this is not the norm anymore. The norm is alarm clocks, rushed mornings, the dispersement of every family member to different locations for the majority of the day, a house that is left empty until 5 or 6pm, a few more rushed hours before bedtime which usually includes take-out rather than a home-cooked meal made with love, and off everyone goes to bed ready to repeat the same schedule tomorrow. And somehow, this is what’s applauded.

Due to the unfortunate takeover of feminism - largely this past century - women have been taught from their youth that their highest value and contribution to the world lies not in the home, but out in the public sphere. They are told that if their work isn’t seen, then it isn’t worthwhile.

But how untrue this is! If only a woman could see how immeasurably wonderful it is - how immeasurably fulfilling and valuable - to marry, create little humans to love and nurture, and to pour into these people God has blessed us with as our family, giving ourselves to their health and joy and wellbeing.

Selflessness has become a lost virtue, but its beauty remains. When a wife finds joy in helping and serving her husband, and when a mother seeks no other ambition than to nurture and raise and care for her little ones, all in her home are blessed, and will go out fortified to flourish in society.

In his wonderful book, HomeMaking, J.R. Miller rightly assessed, “The woman who makes a sweet, beautiful home, filling it with love and prayer and purity, is doing something better than anything else her hands could find to do beneath the skies.” These words are invaluable today, because the home has now become a space of neglect - a pit stop in between scattered dispersements of individuals. But look at the detriments of our newfound neglect of home life: divorce rates have skyrocketed, husbands are left without a loving and supportive helper, children are raised by daycare centers and government institutions rather than by their own mothers, babies aren’t given the right to life, and contrary to their expectations women are more depressed and medicated than ever. There is no denying that these are all consequences of society telling women to leave their homes to pursue a more “valuable” vocation…a vocation of empty promises.

But oh how I wish I could get women to see that motherhood and marriage and the care of the home are a woman’s most valuable vocation. How I long to encourage young mothers not to be discouraged if the world thinks that “all they’re doing” is raising children and being a homemaker. It is this discouragement that sets into the minds of far too many women that they are not doing enough in pouring themselves into raising the next generation. It is this discouragement that drives far too many women away from their homes, away from their husbands and children, in pursuit of something “more” - more noble, more noticeable.

But if you’re a mother, nothing is more valuable than giving yourself to your children and husband and home. It may not be noticed. It may not be applauded. It may be belittled by the world. But it is the most needed and valuable way you can spend your time and energy. You are raising and teaching and nourishing little souls who need their mother and thrive in her presence. You are nourishing little minds and bodies who need a warm and loving environment, one where they have freedom to play, freedom to learn, freedom to enjoy a special meal cooked with love just for them, and the time to linger around the meal and have meaningful conversations about all the curiosities that take place in their growing minds. And these meals aren’t special because they are only once in a while…they take place every single day and are special every single day. And on very special days, the joy of hospitality enters the home, and the children get to witness the delight of creating a beautiful and welcoming environment for beloved guests - one filled with warmth, love, listening, good food, and above all, good friendship. The art of hospitality has been lost in this fast-paced, fast-food, screen-focused culture. It is no light matter to revive the virtue of true hospitality, and restore the beauty of intentional homemaking.

In his beloved book, J.R. Miller further wrote, “Oh that God would give every mother a vision of the glory and splendor of the work that is given to her when a babe is placed in her bosom to be nursed and trained! Could she have but one glimpse into the future of that life as it reaches on into eternity; could she look into it’s soul to see it’s possibilities; could she be made to understand her own personal responsibility for the training of this child, for the development of its life, and for its destiny - she would see that in all God’s world there is no other work so noble and so worthy of her best powers, and she would commit to no other hands the sacred and holy trust given to her.”

How true his poetic words are! The heart and hands of a mother are abundantly needed in the home - far more than out in any self-serving ambition. The world tells us to chase our dreams, without giving us a choice of what those dreams are. It lays out for us various options that all exclusively entail hustle-culture, public recognition, and abandonment of the home. These options, we are told, are the path to fulfillment. But the irony is that any self-serving ambition inevitably leaves us empty. There is a beauty in selflessness, in living for another. Not only a beauty, but there is a deep joy and fulfillment that can be found no where else than in selflessness. We all know the phrase, “It is better to give than to receive.” This is not only in regard to the giving of gifts, but to the giving of ourselves. The world thinks I am oppressed for being a homemaker. They do not know that my heart overflows every single day with abundant love and joy and gratitude. At times I become so overwhelmed with the blessings God gives me that I must fall to my knees in thankfulness to Him. Life so often feels like a beautiful dream, yet it is reality. My friends, don’t listen to the world. The world lies and leaves you empty. It does not matter that your work is not seen. Being seen does not make something valuable. The bringing up of respectful, loving, wonder-filled little humans is more valuable than any promotion or certificate we could attain.

If God has blessed us with motherhood, He has given us full hands and a full heart and enough work to fill every moment of our days with eternal purpose. Don’t trade that for something less. Children are worth more than that.

And so are our husbands! Contrary to the increasingly popular yet false belief that men are to blame for everything, our husbands are invaluable humans created and loved by God just like women, yet as men they have different needs than us. While women need to be loved, protected, and cherished by men, men need to be respected and supported by women.

A very significant way wives can support their husbands is through lovingly taking care of the home. It would be worthwhile to write an entire essay on the importance of being a helpmeet to our husbands, because it is so crucial yet so undermined in our society. But after ten years of marriage I see firsthand how truly significant this is.

Just last night my husband was expressing to me how grateful he is for my support in what he does. He was away at work for a week and came home around 9pm. He told me (summarized): “Thank you so much for making my life so easy. You have no idea how much it helps me that you support me and take care of the home and never nag me for working so much. I am able to focus so freely on my work without having to worry about you being upset and without having to worry about coming home to chores for me to do. Every day at work I hear other men express their frustrations with their angry wives at home - how she is complaining that her husband works too much, or is away too much, or doesn’t help enough with the housework, or isn’t putting enough effort into the marriage, etc. And I always think how blessed I am that I don’t have this burden. I am free to give my all to the jobs I have, knowing you have home life taken care of and you aren’t mad at me. You have no idea what this means to a man.”

He said these words nearly verbatim last night, and I just thought, It really is true - God created man with a mission, and he gave man a helper to be just that to him…a helper. And look how happy the man is and how effective he can be when the wife lovingly supports his endeavors and delights in taking care of their home. This is not something I’m just reading about…I’m experiencing it in real life.

Now this is not to say men cannot nor should not contribute to domestic work. Men love their homes and many delight in beautifying their living space, as well as cooking, cleaning, and fixing things. But the reality remains that men are more geared (dare I say, designed) toward working and providing in the public sphere, while women are more designed for home life.

Frustrations can arise within a home or marriage where the wife demands that the husband perform the domestic duties while she pursues her career. This is not the natural order (simply look at our biology/anatomy and which of our bodies require us to be home nursing children, and which of our emotions are catered to nurture rather than managing outside mental and physical stress).

But differing roles does not equate to differing value. The immeasurable value of our dedication to the home cannot be underestimated. The husband’s work in the public sphere does not hold more worth than the critical work done in the home. Everything done in the public sphere is in fact to honor and serve the homemaker. C.S. Lewis, in a 1955 letter to a Mrs. Ashton, called a housewife’s work “the most important work in the world,” asking what ships, railways, government and the rest exist for “except that people may be fed, warmed, and safe in their own homes” (Letters of C.S. Lewis). J.R. Miller knew this as well when he wrote, “Home is the true wife’s kingdom. Very largely does the wife hold in her hands, as a sacred trust, the happiness and the highest good of the hearts that nestle there. The best husband - the truest, the noblest, the gentlest, the richest-hearted - cannot make his home happy if his wife be not, in every reasonable sense, a helpmate to him.”

Oh that this role wouldn’t be looked down upon, but would be treasured for the priceless privilege that it is! We homemakers have the honor of teaching and shaping our precious children into joyful, wonder-filled humans. We have the privilege of giving them their childhood and all that that entails. We have the ever-large responsibility of wearing multiple (may I say endless) hats all throughout each day. We are caregivers, nurses, teachers, gardeners, housekeepers, assistants, educators, chefs, therapists, counselors (the list goes on) all in one. And I write this list with great honor. Women have been taught to look down on these roles when they take place in the home simply because it is all unseen and unpaid. But we have lost the virtue of serving without needing recognition or payment. All that we do should be done in love, with gratitude and joy, as unto the Lord. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men” (Col. 3:23).

I often hear the loaded term “unpaid labor” (loaded with bitterness), but what a sad analysis this is. We should not need payment as an incentive to care for our children and our home. All that we do should be out of love, not financial gain or public praise or “what’s in it for me.”

The joy of being given this life is what’s in it for us. The joy of having people to love and care for is what’s in it for us. The joy of tucking our children in at night, with full tummies and warm blankets and hearts that know they are loved, is what’s in it for us. All the household responsibilities that come with family…laundry, dishes, home-cooked meals - all the supposed burdens that women often complain about - are blessings and signs that we have a full and rich life.

Would that we embraced the care of our home and the nourishment of our family - both mind and body - with the utmost love and attention. Would that we viewed the critical environment of home life as Miller so accurately wrote,

“A true home is one of the most sacred of places. It is a sanctuary into which men flee from the world’s perils and alarms. It is a resting place to which at close of day the weary retire to gather new strength for the battle and toils of tomorrow. It is the place where love learns its lessons, where life is schooled into discipline and strength, where character is molded. Few things we can do in this world are so well worth doing as the making of a beautiful and happy home. He who does this builds a sanctuary for God and opens a fountain of blessing for men. […] Far more than we know, do the strength and beauty of our lives depend upon the home in which we dwell. The children who are brought up in a true home go out trained and equipped for life’s battles and tasks, carrying in their heart a secret of strength which will make them brave and loyal to God, and will keep them pure in the world’s severest temptations. He who goes forth in the morning from a happy, loving, prayerful home, into the world’s strife, temptation, struggle, and duty, is strong - inspired for noble and gracious living.”

If the reader hasn’t caught on, I highly recommend J.R. Miller’s HomeMaking. Reading it will do nothing but beautify your home life and sanctify your soul.

Finally, and once again contrary to popular assumption, the freedom that comes with homemaking is beyond that of any other vocation. G.K. Chesterton wrote, “Of all modern notions the worst is this, that domesticity is dull” (What’s Wrong With the World, 1910). There is nothing dull nor confining to having all the hours in the day to live as you please with the betterment of your loved ones in mind. “The home is the only place of liberty,” Chesterton continued, “It is the only place on earth where a man can alter arrangements suddenly, make an experiment or indulge in a whim. Everywhere else he goes he must accept the strict rules of the shop […] Indeed, man is not so free. The average man has to obey orders and can do nothing else. He has to put one dull brick on another dull brick, and do nothing else. The [homemaker’s] work is creative and individual. She can put the flowers or the furniture in fancy arrangements of her own. I fear the brick layer cannot put the bricks in fancy arrangements of his own.”

How we lost our vision of this reality! In the home we can be as creative as we wish with our desserts and dishes, gardens and gates, furniture and flowers; we can dance around in pretty dresses to any musical piece of our choice, teaching our children to love life and enjoy it to the fullest; we can host friends and family and neighbors with true hospitality, not rushed and distracted, but sitting down around coffee and tea and food crafted with love, and listening…really listening (who listens anymore?) to the cares and joys and worries of our friends. But we’ve chosen in this era to forsake the home, outsource our children, neglect our marriages, be unavailable for our friends and neighbors, and be confined to the “strict rules of the shop.” Chesterton rightly insisted, “The child ought to look on his mother as a fountain of natural fun and poetry, but how can he unless the fountain is available to play?”

In the home we are given all the liberty to play - to carry on and live out for a lifetime all our childhood dreams and fantasies when we would dress up as brides and nurse our baby dolls and decorate our doll houses and pretend to cook in our play-kitchen. Yet the splendor of it has only increased with adulthood, as the true shaping of souls and nurturing of life is now in actuality in our hands.

Our husbands only get one wife. Our children only get one mother and one childhood. We have the inestimable opportunity and privilege to make the home of these precious humans given to us one of refreshment, beauty, nourishment, wisdom, and love. May we never take this lightly. May we never think we are missing out on something better. May we never lose sight of the incalculable impact we are making through our loving dedication to the health of our home. May we confidently know the immense purpose and value of the work that we do, and daily delight in bringing a joyful and grateful spirit to the atmosphere of our home, living intentionally to display goodness, truth, and beauty, and drawing our refreshment from the Source of life Himself.

I hear little patters of footsteps upstairs now. It is time for me to hold little children in my arms, to sing and pray with them, to thank God for a new day, and to try our new syrup on our new pancake recipe. There is a full day of learning, loving, reading, writing, playing, planting, dancing, dining, and making new discoveries ahead. Indeed, there is a full day of life ahead, in this precious place we call home.

The Forgotten Value of Homemaking was written by Laura Dill. You can reach her on Instagram @gracefully.laura.

This piece was first published in Issue 42 of the WARKITCHEN, explore the rest of the issue here. Enjoy the experience 🥂

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❋ Winter 25/26 Coffee Table Book (Print)

❋ Explore the full WARKITCHEN archive here.

❋ Got an article or recipe in mind? We’d love to hear more! Please send your pitch to rocky@warkitchen.net.

The sandwich is a marvelous invention. Bread. And then anything between. From ice cream to smoked salmon to good brisket. There are unlimited permutations. It's truly the ONLY food in the world you could eat every day and not get bored. It's as healthy and unhealthy as you want it to be. You need to be sandwich maxxing.

I’ve always appreciated a well constructed sandwich. It’s one of the joys of life that I never took for granted. It’s so beautiful how almost every culture in the world has their version, their sandwich and that to me adds to the beauty of it all.

This is why it blows my mind how some people say sandwiches are unhealthy. They’re literally an open canvas!! It’s anything and everything you wish it could be.

While we’re speaking about sandwiches I have to put you on caramelized onions. If you’re making your own sandwiches at home, learn to make amazing caramelized onions! Contrary to popular belief, onions don't have to make you cry. They're best eaten SWEET! So good they melt in your mouth...

All you need to make:
1. Slice as thinly as possible
2. Pan on LOW heat with enough fat
3. Add a pinch of sea salt as they cook
4. Keep throwing fat in (drizzling EVOO / knobs of butter) as they caramelize
5. WAIT!

You will fail if you:
• Don't spend enough time rendering it down
• Blast the heat too high & end up with fried onions

Make sure you keep them moving or they'll burn and get stuck to the bottom of the pan. You need constant movement. Constant swirling of the wrist. Wooden spoon stirring. Onions must be coated well in fat. The entire process will take AT LEAST 15 minutes. Onions will slowly get more color and eventually be a silky caramel brown. Some chefs even say to give it 30! Yes it takes time, but it's worth it. Properly caramelized onions are the best condiment for just about anything from a breakfast sandwich (as pictured above here), to sliced steak.

Btw, you should not cry when cutting onions. That only happens if you're using a blunt knife. With a sharp one, the odds of tearing up are extremely low.

So of course, we love sandwiches so much that we thought with the launch of The Sandwich Issue we should refresh our Ultimate Sandwich Tier List and so we did! Not all sandwiches are the same… S stands for superior, a cut above the rest. After that, A, B and C are graded just like school. These rankings were collectively decided by the WARKITCHEN SOIRÉE Instagram Channel - get involved with a future vote here.

S tier: Croque Madame, Philly Steak, Smoked Salmon, Chicken Club, Bánh Mì, Ice Cream

A tier: Reuben, BLT, Cuban, Tamago Sando, Croque Monsieur, Muffuletta, French Dip, Lobster Roll, Grilled Cheese, Panini, Kaya Toast, Chivito, Oxtail Melt, Jambon-Beurre, Bifana, Monte Cristo

B tier: BBQ Chicken, Patty Melt, Pastrami on Rye, Caprese, Turkey Club, Primanti’s, Mortadella, Porchetta, Italian Sub, Lox Bagel, Pan Bagnat, Pane Cunzato, Sloppy Joe, Bocadillo, Bacon Egg, Kielbasa, Katsu Sando, Walleye, Po’ Boy, Egg Salad, PB&J, Shawarma, Smoked Herring

C tier: Curry Tuna, Roast Pork, Cucumber Tea, Chip Butty, Jackfruit, Meatball, Bologna, Prawn Roll

F tier: Anything with plastic ‘American’ cheese slices, Artificial ‘Impossible’ meat, Frankenstein buns

What do you disagree with? What’s S tier for you? What should be rated lower?

What if your coffee order was a car?

For once we didn’t make fun of the americano… :)

Fruits for September

How blessed are we to live in a world of beautiful fruit? Here are your Fruits for September 🤩

❋ Crunchy Halloumi and Marinated Tomato Salad by

“What’s for dinner? Halloumi medallions - coated with panko breadcrumbs and nigella seeds - served with a fresh tomato salad on top. This is the perfect recipe to use up all of the colourful cherry tomatoes that are available right now. Finish things off with a liberal grating of horseradish for an extra savoury kick.” —

❋ I Tested Raising Cane’s Sauce 50 Times. This Is the Perfect Ratio by

“Let’s be honest. The real reason people go to Raising Cane’s isn’t the chicken.

It’s the sauce.

That creamy, peppery, slightly tangy sauce is what makes the whole meal memorable. The ingredients aren’t especially complicated, but getting the proportions right is another story.

I tested this recipe close to 50 times. I increased the black pepper, reduced the black pepper, added more Worcestershire sauce, pulled it back, and adjusted everything against the mayonnaise and ketchup.

After all that testing, this is the ratio that delivered the closest result.” —

❋ Recipes to Make Before Summers Over by

“Ok I know 50% of you are ready for pumpkin spiced lattes and baked goods, but hi I am the other 50% who is not yet ready to concede summer being over (even though I woke up kinda starting to crave cozy season…we’re not talking about it).

Don’t get me wrong, I love Fall, it’s my favorite month, but it doesn’t officially start for a few weeks. We have a few more weeks of warmth, humidity, and longer days, and so it’s time to soak it up as much as possible. I have created a recipe roundup of summer-centric bevs, smoothies, baked goods, meals, sweets & more to make before we dive head first into fall!!! If you’ve been wanting to make any of these the time is nowww. Tomatoes are perfect. Melons & stone fruit are still abundant. & it’s still hot enough to cool down with an iced bev, smoothie, or maybe some froyo…

Let’s get into it…” —

❋ How to Spot & Overcome an Iron Deficiency by [Paid Post]

“Iron sustains life.

It is used to make hemoglobin—the oxygen-delivering protein. Without oxygen, our cells suffocate, as they can’t make the energy they rely on to perform vital functions, maintain their structure, communicate with one another, and repair damage.

Because iron deficiency impairs cells’ ability to generate life-sustaining energy, the list of iron deficiency symptoms is nearly endless. They include fatigue, breathlessness, hair loss, brittle nails, weakness, insomnia, cold hands and feet, chest pain, depression, anxiety, irritability, difficulty concentrating, restless leg syndrome, exercise intolerance, and more.

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However, increasing iron levels and bringing ferritin and hemoglobin back into range is often more challenging than just taking an iron supplement.

Many people experience adverse reactions to iron pills (suffering from symptoms like bloating, constipation, digestive pain, or headaches), or they fail to get their ferritin up no matter how much iron they take or how many steaks they eat.” —

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“When it comes to travel, handing over control is the hard part. I learned that when I started dating a book-the-flight-the-week-of girl, having been raised in a we-already-have-our-Thanksgiving-tickets family myself. But letting go is the fastest way to end up somewhere you’d never have picked…which is usually the point.

So here’s an idea: travel like someone else. Ideally someone you admire. I’m not saying to go book the exact trip to Positano and Mykonos your favorite lifestyle influencer. Those photos are staged, the parties are paid for by a brand buying follower count instead of brand alignment, and they just met that “group of friends” on a yacht day sponsored by a newly minted rosé brand.

Instead, travel like your favorite singers, authors, and artists. Anyone that you look up to or find honest inspiration from. Travel writing works because you want to live the thing you’re reading. So lean into it.

We’ve been kicking around this idea for a while, and I believe there’s a real well of inspiration in it. It’s not better than traveling to do absolutely nothing…that’s a different sport. But I’m hoping to put it into practice very soon.” —

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“Very indulgent breakfasts. I’ve always been a person who believes in breakfast. Many, many years ago I fell victim to an extreme wellness protocol and tried fasting. The only thing I got out of it was fainting at work, so I promised myself to never try that again. Lately, I’ve been enjoying breakfasts that mix sweet and savory. Eggs, sausage, some sliced fruit, maybe some cheese, a piece of toast with blackberry jam, coffee and orange juice. I also really enjoy mixing a drop of almond extract and some honey into plain greek yogurt. I like to feel as if I’m at a fancy hotel’s breakfast buffet on a regular weekday morning. The other day I was feeling lazy, but I realized that I had already prepped rice and salmon, and I always have miso paste and seaweed stocked just in case. So I made a japanese breakfast with some carrot salad, fresh kiwi, and a matcha on the side.” —

❋ Have the Spirit of a Bulldog by

“To this day, I remember the beginning of Coach DJ’s words: “Johnny, you’re my bulldog. I can always count on you to stay in the fight.” I felt a sense of pride in that moment, and now at the age of 29 I feel that emotion even more.

When I hear bulldog, I think fierce and persistent. They’re never afraid to roll up their sleeves, and they are unabashedly themselves. That’s the whole identity of the Georgia Bulldogs football team, which was given the name by sportswriter Morgan Blake in 1920.

When I think of two famous figures who exhibit bulldog qualities, Winston Churchill and Pete Rose come to mind. Two celebrities I know that own bulldogs are Brad Pitt and Lewis Hamilton—who, in many ways, carry those same character traits themselves.” —

Rebuild your IG Algorithm (more fun links):

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❋ Kitchen cookbook stand

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❋ Ultimate lamp guide

❋ Cool side tables

❋ I love having a coffee after a coffee

❋ Posagna — potato meets lasagna

Hope you’re having a beautiful Labor Day weekend!
— Rocky

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❋ Winter 25/26 Coffee Table Book (Print)

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The Physiology of Taste. What a beautiful name for a book, isn’t it? And if you’ve been reading along with us these past two months, what an intriguing read!

It’s apt that we’re starting the WARKITCHEN book club with an absolute classic of gastronomy. Whenever I read old books like this I can’t help but think about how special it is for a writer’s words to have transcended so much time.

I mean, just think about it! This book was first published in December of 1825. By a 70 year old anonymous lawyer who had been penning these thoughts down over most of his adult life. A man who died just two months after the book was published, a man who never lived to realize the impact his words would have had on the world.

A note before we begin. We obviously don’t agree with everything in the book (!!). Some of it is wrong by the standards of what we know now and others are opinions that we don’t agree with. I’m sure if you’ve read it you must feel the same way. One example is how he tells us that fish is much less nourishing than red meat, which was perhaps a reasonable read in 1825 but poor today. He had no way of knowing about omega 3s, or that DHA would turn out to be so essential for the human brain.

But hey that’s part of the fun! You also get to think about a number of things like taste, hunger in ways you never quite have.

Instead of doing a traditional book review we’re going to leave you with 25 quotes that we found particularly impactful along with a few short notes. Feel free to comment with your own takes as well as any other quotes you found meaningful. Take this post as a resource you can always come back to if you would ever want to revisit any of these topics.

Small note on the numbers: the “§” marks are Brillat-Savarin’s own section numbers and they work in any edition, in any translation! Page numbers refer to the Everyman’s Library edition, translated by M.F.K. Fisher, with an introduction by Bill Buford (the one that I read).

Just before we get to Brillat, I want to give Bill Buford his due! Introductions to most books are usually pretty boring and don’t add to them at all but Buford has done such a great job with this. It really sets you up perfectly. He talks about the aphorisms at the start of the book and a few that he resonated with (these are also some quotes you may have read or heard in everyday life):-

A meal without cheese is as incomplete as a woman without an eye

A dinner is never boring, at least for the first hour

A new dish matters more to human happiness than the discovery of a star

You are what you eat

He closes the introduction with a quote that’s pretty magical:

“Food is more than itself. It is not everything, but it is touched by almost everything: memory, weather, dirt, hunger, chemistry, the universe.”

If you have this edition, I highly recommend reading the introduction. Without further ado, here are 25 quotes from The Physiology of Taste worth sitting with!

Aphorism II - p. 3

1. “Animals feed themselves; men eat; but only wise men know the art of eating.”

Three verbs for the same act, arranged in ascending order. This is the whole book in one line, and he puts it second.

§6, Definition of Taste - p. 39

2. “Taste is the sense which puts us in contact with savorous or sapid bodies, by means of the sensation which they cause in the organ destined to appreciate them.”

It’s interesting how ‘physical’ he describes taste here. It really is a physical sensation, even though most of us think of taste as a mental one. We have to remember that taste will always be a sense. In modern day the word taste almost means judgement. Brillat-Savarin describes it as almost a form of reaching out and finding the world itself.

§18, Definition of Gastronomy - p. 61

3. “Gastronomy is the intelligent knowledge of whatever concerns man’s nourishment.”

Gastronomy is just knowledge. It’s not about recipes, cooking techniques, skill but just knowledge about man’s nourishment. So apt.

§14, The Supremacy of Man - p. 43

4. “Among fish it is but a movable bone; among birds in general it is a membranous cartilage; in the four-legged world it is often sheathed with scales or roughnesses, and moreover has no power of circular movement.”

He’s building an argument that human taste is the most developed in nature, and he gets there by cataloguing tongues. It’s really something we don’t think about usually and at times take for granted.

§15 - p. 45

5. “movements of SPICATION, ROTATION, and VERRITION”

He uses words from Latin! Verrition comes from verro, meaning I sweep. That’s the motion your tongue makes hunting for a piece of food caught between your lip and your gum.

§15 - p. 45

6. “Man, on the other hand, is omnivorous; everything edible is prey to his vast hunger, and this brings out, as its immediate result, tasting powers proportionate to the general use which he must make of them.”

This is my favorite quote from the book and a point that we’ve talked about several times here - it’s what encompasses the WARKITCHEN ideology behind what we should and shouldn’t eat.

§23, Definition of Appetite - p. 68

7. “MOVEMENT AND LIFE cause a steady loss of substance in any living being; and the human body, that highly complicated machine, would soon be useless if Providence had not placed in it a sentinel which sounds warning the moment its resources are no longer in perfect balance with its needs.”

Love the way Brillat-Savarin describes appetite to be almost like a guard posted at the gate. Hunger - for as long as humans (and even animals) have been around has always been one of the most important biological mechanisms there is. Also makes you think about what these new-age GLP1s are doing. Are there really no ramifications to permanently switching off your hunger? Does losing your hunger for food affect your zeal for life? I guess we’ll find out in the years to come.

§49, Differing Kinds of Thirst - p. 129

8. “Latent or habitual thirst is the unconscious balance which is established between bodily evaporation and the need to replenish the vaporized moisture; it is this which leads us, without our feeling any misery because of it, to drink during our meals, and makes us able also to drink at almost any time of the day. The thirst is always with us and in its way is part of our very existence.”

Thirst is truly always with us. This is why it’s so important to stay hydrated if you want to be your best self and this doesn’t mean just sipping water. You need to be constantly replenishing this “vaporized moisture”.

§16, The Origin of Sciences - p. 59

9. “The man who first expressed by symbols the very simple proposition that two plus two equals four created mathematics, that most powerful of sciences, which has truly elevated mankind to the throne of the universe.”

He’s implying that gastronomy deserves to be treated as science and this is something I’m not entirely on the same page on. Perhaps with baking, yes. It’s definitely a science. But cooking for me has always been more of an art form. Especially when you rely less on the recipe and more of how things just flow and taste on the fly. Those are when you make the best meals - you inject an ingredient that you cannot really quantify.

§17, Origin of Gastronomy - p. 60

10. “Naturally! How could anything be refused to one who succors us from our birth to our burial, who adds to the delights of love and the strength of friendship, who disarms hatred, makes business easier, and offers us in our short span of life the sole pleasure which, since it is not followed by fatigue, remains to comfort us when the others no longer can?”

He’s right. Food does touch every part of life. I would say it’s the only pleasure that isn’t followed by fatigue when we talk about REAL FOOD. This is why we’ve always said it’s so important to judge food by how it makes you feel after the meal. Real food leaves you feeling amazing. Like what Brillat-Savarin describes, there is no fatigue. BUT if you eat modern frankenstein creations like a full upsized McDonald’s meal with ultra processed weirdo ingredients and french fries soaked in canola oil you’re almost definitely going to feel fatigued and drained of life after. Food for thought.

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Words by George Curtis.

I had been spending the day at Kaizen & Coffee, a small shop in San Mateo, CA. It was the summer of 2023, and I was just getting my feet wet in the world of coffee. The Kaizen team had kindly invited me to sample their latest coffee beans and upcoming toast-based food menu. I capped off the morning by going behind the bar and trying my hand at pulling shots and pouring latte art.

In their close-up demonstration before handing me the reins, I focused on the science: How long should it take to pull each shot? How long do I steam the milk? What angle should I hold the cup at when pouring? I needed a step-by-step recipe because I thought I could compensate for my lack of experience with attention to detail and memorization of prescribed steps. Even with the professional coaching, my latte art ended as a pale blob fading into the golden-brown liquid below. I couldn’t help but laugh at myself and crack a self-deprecating joke: “This is a Picasso,” referencing the childlike quality of Pablo Picasso’s later works.

Then the pros took their turn, and it was effortless, like they were born with the skill. The recipe was replaced by experience and feel. They could seemingly push the milk into any shape at will. The steps of the process were abstracted away and the art emerged.

And in this I realized the irony of my earlier joke: Picasso created more than 50,000 works over the course of his lifetime so that only a few hundred could live on forever. Picasso even said, “It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.”

After the queen of destruction took her turn and effortlessly poured the perfect tulip just kissing the brim of the cup, she instructed me to follow her. She carefully carried her latte as we went out the rear exit to the parking lot. I was told to start recording, and moments later, coffee was splashed everywhere, on body parts and blacktop alike.

In reflection, this moment perfectly captures the ephemeral nature of coffee. It takes up to four years for a coffee plant to mature and bear fruit, and another six months for the fruit to be ready for picking. Then the fruit is processed to reveal the seed within. This coffee makes its way to roasters around the world, where they stamp their brand of flavor onto the roasted product. These roasted beans then make their way to coffee shops like Kaizen & Coffee to be ground up and brewed into espresso. The barista takes this espresso and paints artwork in milk, only for it to be slurped down moments later, or worse, immediately covered with a to-go lid. Coffee is a work of art that takes an exorbitant amount of time and effort to produce such a brief moment of happiness, energy, or warmth in the consumer, or in rare cases, to be absolutely beaten to death in a San Mateo parking lot.

The moment of enjoying coffee matters. It is art at the tail end of years of effort and experience, and in my opinion, an inseparable experience from the coffee shop itself, where all of the senses combine and amplify each other to create a tangible energy. It’s an experience that can’t be bottled up or taken home; it disappears like a flame suffocated of oxygen the moment a to-go lid is clicked into place. It can’t be captured on an Instagram Story either; it can only be felt in the moment and is best enjoyed in the cafe.

Unfortunately for you and me, this is often misunderstood. The loudest is not always the best, and complexity doesn’t necessarily signify expertise. These are common tricks meant to draw you in, large neon signs trying to blind you, yet we fall for them every single day.

As an example, Blank Street, which recently rebranded and dropped “coffee” from their name, has lines down the street at some Manhattan locations. I’ve often asked myself why: I’ve had their coffee. It objectively sucks. But then I realized: they don’t sell coffee, they sell aesthetic and lifestyle. They are the social media Starbucks, with neon signs and colorful matcha lattes, all designed to look good in your selfies and satisfy your sugar craving.

There is no art inside Blank Street, only snake oil. But again, our eyes are drawn to the shiny object, and Blank Street dominates because they communicate status and don’t give a shit about craft. This is noise mistaken for signal, the pursuit of fleeting social trends.

“Social media trends have turned the world’s most beautiful places into endless bathroom lines at a concert, where everyone waits for hours to take the same photo to show to people who couldn’t care less.” (x.com/@mamboitaliano_)

What these trends truly speak to, however, is our desire to relate to one another, to fit into the group, to sit at the cool table.

Another neon sign on the road to good coffee is the growth in popularity of the home espresso machine. The espresso machine was invented to spit out hundreds of consistent shots quickly and consistently in a busy urban commercial setting. You can take the machine out of the coffee shop, but you can’t bring the experience with you. Yet social media will absolutely try to convince you otherwise. Spray your beans with water, it’s called the Ross Droplet Technique. Buy the newest conical burr grinder for 0.05% more consistency, I swear it tastes way smoother. Oh, you haven’t heard of the Weiss Distribution Technique? You need to be stirring your ground coffee with this tool for even distribution. Don’t forget to dial in your espresso too. Common wisdom says it takes 4-6 shots per dial-in due to changes in humidity and temperature. Sure, this makes more sense when you can offset the cost over the course of a day with hundreds of customers, but now you should do it at home because you decided to buy an espresso machine. And you definitely need that new aesthetic glassware to show off your coffee.

You started with a desire to bring the cafe experience home, but you only brought home the headaches, complexity, and consumerism. Simply liking coffee doesn’t provide adequate cover here. You can like coffee and still brew the best-tasting cup at home for almost no money. So be honest with yourself: why exactly do you need all these things? In a world full of noise, it’s incredibly tempting to try to become louder yourself, but like adding another neon sign to the Vegas skyline, it’s all just pollution that stops you from seeing the stars.

The good news: finding the signal beyond the noise is still possible, if you know where to look.

It’s in the coffee shops that open slow bars for pour-overs, so you can immerse yourself in the sensory experience. It’s grabbing a chair outside a cafe with an espresso in hand to watch the city wake up. It’s the patient barista explaining to a customer that there is no such thing as an espresso bean. It’s quality-focused menus, unconcerned with flash or trend. It’s the symphony of clinking glasses, steam wands, conversation, and the bell above the door as people come and go. It’s the happiness of being present, without the fear of missing out or the need to LARP as an influencer.

I didn’t always see things so simply and plainly. It started out for me like it did for so many others. The discovery: wow, this coffee is really good, why does it taste like strawberry jam? You’re telling me this is black coffee? I want more, where do I get it? How do I make it? After countless online searches, tutorial videos, and pompous Reddit threads, I hit the checkout button to buy a fancy coffee grinder. I’m deep in it now. Months later, now a self-proclaimed know-it-all, I watch a new coffee grinder hit the market. This one is supposed to be better than the last; reviewers say it brings real clarity to the cup and magnifies the potential of light roasts. The World Brewers Cup Champion just used it in competition; surely it contributed to his success. This was just another version of the Picasso dilemma. It’s the long practice and repetition that created the winner, not the equipment. Even so, I had to buy it. There is no end for coffee gearheads because there is no end to our need to fit in and follow trends.

Years later, while visiting Barcelona, I sat inside Nomad Coffee. As always, with my back to the wall so I could face the action: the people, the baristas, the craft. By this time, I had it pretty much all figured out. You could drop me anywhere in the world and I would quickly find the best cafes in town. Nomad was all signal and no noise. Behind the counter was a very simple yet rich menu: filter coffee and espresso with options to choose origin and tasting notes, plus a few classic coffee beverages like espresso tonics and flat whites. There was no bubbling bath of cold brew, nor a batch brewer filled with coffee made hours before. Filter coffee was brewed in the pour-over style, by hand and to order. This was Nomad’s signal that craft and quality came above all else. Most shops won’t or can’t dedicate a barista to this one simple task.

My palate was evolving, leaving the noise of the internet for the quiet of reality. I had a taste of the signal coffee could offer and wanted more. I planned coffee crawls in New York, rescheduled flights out of Atlanta to for few extra coffee stops, and chose vacation spots based on the quality of the local coffee scene. In 2025, I planned a trip to Copenhagen to visit the April Coffee Store. I sat in their beautifully designed space for coffee service, listened to the barista describe the coffee, and smelled and slurped it until it was gone. It was one of the best coffee experiences I’ll ever have…

All of this is to say, you make the final choice…

Will you consume coffee, or will you enjoy it?

George is a coffee lover, homebrewer, and founder of cwic coffee, functional coffee for the endurance athlete. You can follow him on X @getcwic and on
Instagram @coffeewithcurtis.

This piece was first published in Issue 42 of the WARKITCHEN, explore the rest of the issue here. Enjoy the experience 🥂

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It’s Tuesday night and my stomach is rumbling. The year is 1999 and I’m 12 years old. I’m taking a break from doing pre-teen activities to help mom throw dinner together. One of the first cooking assignments I received as a kid was to brown a pound or two of ground beef. There were always a few different directions that mom could go from this point. She could toss in some canned beans, tomato juice, and a few spices for some chili. Another popular option would be to reach into the arsenal of Ham-burger Helper and add whatever flavor packets and powdered cheeses accompanied that specific flavor pack. But not tonight. Tonight is sloppy joe’s night.

Words and recipe by Tony Mann.

We always made our own sloppy joe’s from scratch, the right way. None of the Manwich stuff you get from a can. No. We used the right ingredients: ketchup, yellow mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and some spices. I don’t even think there was an actual recipe. Just throw in whatever quantities looked right, taste, and adjust accordingly. I remember putting the mixture onto a couple of pieces of industrial white sandwich bread and devouring it. The sauce would soak into the bottom slice, making it difficult to pick up and eat like a real sandwich. So, most of the time, I ended up eating it with a fork. Pair this with some frozen tater tots or french fries and you were in for a helluva weeknight meal.

I turned 39 last week. Sloppy Joe’s rarely make it into my meal rotation. I guess my taste buds have matured, and so have my hobbies. I’m reading books now. For fun. During our last trip to the library I went looking for a specific title. I found it, flipped through the pages and decided it sounded incredibly boring. Something about politics. I just wasn’t feeling it. But, next to it I noticed a book called Havana: A Subtropical Delerium, by Mark Kurlansky. At this time in the US, Cuba is a topic that has been in the headlines quite a bit, so I decided to see what all the buzz is about.

Kurlansky does a deep dive into the history of Havana. From its founding and multiple relocations, to the styles of music that were birthed in the city. Apparently, the city was overrun and burned down multiple times by pirates and foreign adversaries looking to get a cut of Spain’s massive wealth of riches that flowed through Havana on their way back to Spain from the Americas. I learned about Fidel Castro’s obsession with ice cream. But, the topic that caught my attention the most was the golden era of the Havana bar scene during the 1920s and 30s.

In the US times were getting hard for thirsty Americans. For years there had been groups working to ban alcohol and their political power was finally beginning to manifest. The temperance movement wanted moderation or complete abstinence from the consumption of alcohol and, if we know anything about human behaviour, we know that they wouldn’t rest until everyone lived the way that they approved of. After gaining enough political support, the 18th Amendment was enacted in 1920, creating a nationwide ban on the manufacture, sale, and transport of alcoholic beverages. The party was over, or at least legally. But, there is also something else that we know about humans…where there’s a will, there is a way. Americans began looking for ways to skirt the system. Moonshiners, Speakeasies, organized crime. People were bound and determined to quench their thirst. For some, the way to get their fix was to turn to a little island just off the coast of Florida where taps were still flowing and the party was still going.

By the late 1920s American tourism to Havana had doubled. Americans looking for a good time began flocking to Cuba, earning it the title “Paris of the Caribbean”. It became a tropical playground where travelers could legally drink and gamble. Certain bars became quite popular during this time. El Floridita opened in 1817, but became the city’s leader in the cocktail renaissance during the 1920s. It’s famously known as the birthplace of the frozen Daiquiri and was later one of Ernest Hemingway’s favorite spots for a sugar-free version of the cocktail.

Another establishment that gained a lot of attention during this time was a place called Sloppy Joe’s. Sloppy Joe’s started out as a grocery store in Old Havana. In 1918, Jose Abeal Otero purchased the place and converted it into one of Havana’s most famous bars. At one point it had the longest bar in Latin America at about 59 feet, made of black mahogany. The exterior of the bar was surrounded by an arched portico, giving it that classic Havana architectural style. Many celebrities, including Frank Sinatra, John Wayne, and of course, Ernest Hemingway, were known to frequent this spot throughout its existence. But, the most important thing to come from that bar wasn’t a drink or a celebrity. It was a sandwich. But, the sandwich has a deeper origin story that is worth understanding.

Spanish culture is woven into the fabric of the country, from its language to its food. One culinary tradition that traveled westward with the Spanish was Picadillo. Originating in Andalusia Spain and influenced by Moorish culinary traditions, the original dish consisted of finely minced or ground beef or pork, minced vegetables, and spices. The Moors crossed the Strait of Gibraltar from North Africa in 711AD, taking the Iberian Peninsula of Spain. Much of Spain lived under their rule up into the 1400s. So, obviously, many of their ingredients and cooking styles made their way into Spanish cuisine. The combination of savory and sweet components. Warming spices, such as cumin, cinnamon, and cloves. The use of minced or ground meats. All of these were native to North Africa and were incorporated into Spanish cooking even after the Reconquista in 1492.

1492 was also a famous date for another reason. It just happened to be the year that Columbus “sailed the ocean blue”. Picadillo was on its way to the New World. Just like the language, Picadillo has taken on its own personality in each new region. In Mexico, the dish contains potatoes, sometimes carrots and poblano peppers, and uses warm spices like cumin, chili powders, and Mexican oregano. The Filipino version, known as giniling, can include fish sauce, soy sauce, peas, and sometimes raisins. The Cuban version uses a sofrito of garlic, onions, maybe some bell pepper, then some cumin, bay leaf, tomato sauce, and is finished with green olives.

The bartenders at Sloppy Joe’s were slinging plenty of drinks, but they were also becoming famous for a sandwich of the same name. The Sloppy Joe’s sandwich was born.

Traditional Cuban-style picadillo served on an American-style hamburger bun. Alcohol deprived Americans seeking boozy refuge in a tropical playground, bringing back stories and appetites for their favorite cocktails and foods. It’s easy to see how this recipe was brought back to the US and then spread out through the country, swapping some ingredients for what was on hand and convenient at the time.

From North Africa, to the Moorish conquering of Spain, to the conquistador’s colonization of the new world, to the drunken vacation in Havana, to my 12 year-old dinner plate. This dish has come a long way.

Traditional Sloppy Joe’s Picadillo Sandwich Recipe

Serves: 6 to 8; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes

For this recipe, I used an ingredient list from the book Havana, by Mark Kurlansky. This set of instructions is said to come directly from Sloppy Joe’s in Havana Cuba. The list gave no quantities for the ingredients. So, I formulated my own version to try and stay as true to the original as possible. I based my recipe on two pounds of ground beef in order to feed my family, but feel free to scale it down to one pound if necessary. One last note about the recipe. The original instructions called for a “demi-glace sauce”. A demi-glace is a French sauce that takes around 12 to 13 hours to make. I knew that most people are not going this in-depth for sloppy joes. So, I added some of the flavors of demi-glace by including tomato paste, beef broth, and dry white wine. Much more home-cook friendly.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef

• 3 tbsp tomato paste

• ½ cup dry white wine

• 1 cup high-quality beef bone broth

• 1 can (15oz) tomato sauce

• 1 large yellow onion

• 6 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 ½ tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 2 tsp sea salt

• ½ cup castelvetrano olives, sliced

• 3 tbsp brine from the olives

• 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (roughly 1 juicy lime)

Method

1. Brown the Beef: 10 mins.

In a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the ground beef. Cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until it is fully browned. Drain off most of the excess grease, leaving about 1 to 2 tablespoons in the pan to cook the aromatics. Turn the heat down to medium.

2. Build the Sofrito: 5 mins.

Push the meat to the outer edges of the pan to create an opening in the center. Toss in the diced onion, minced garlic, and bay leaves. Sauté everything in the middle until the onions are soft and translucent, then mix them completely into the beef.

3. Bloom the Spices & Tomato Paste: 3 mins.

Sprinkle the cumin, black pepper, and salt evenly over the meat. Add the tomato paste directly to the pan. Stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, coating the beef. You want the tomato paste to darken to a deep brick-red color - this caramelization creates the base for our faux demi-glace flavor.

4. Deglaze & Simmer: 25 mins.

Pour in the white wine, using your spoon to scrape up all the delicious browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Let the wine simmer and reduce by half (about 2 minutes) to cook off the raw alcohol flavor.

Pour in the beef broth, olive brine, and tomato sauce. Stir well, turn the heat down to low, cover, and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes to meld the flavors and thicken into a rich, glossy sauce.

5. Finish: 2 mins.

Remove the lid and stir in the chopped green olives and fresh lime juice. Let it cook uncovered for another 2 minutes. Fish out and discard the bay leaves. Taste for seasoning, adding a splash more lime juice or salt if needed.

The Origins of Havana’s Sloppy Joe was written by Tony Mann. If you enjoyed his writing and you would like more, check out his site, oakandblade.com, where he writes about all things food. You can also reach him on Instagram @oak_and_blade.

This piece was first published in Issue 42 of the WARKITCHEN, explore the rest of the issue here. Enjoy the experience 🥂

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❋ Winter 25/26 Coffee Table Book (Print)

❋ Explore the full WARKITCHEN archive here.

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Ingredient Breakdown: Nutrition in Disguise

Organic Cane Sugar

During digestion, cane sugar is quickly and efficiently converted into glucose, the body’s most readily available energy source that feeds every single cell! Quality sugar is the base of any great dessert, as its ability to add texture, structure, moisture, and flavor in a single ingredient is unparalleled. In curd, sugar functions to do just that!

Pasture-raised Egg Yolks

Egg yolks, a previously persecuted star ingredient, also doubles as a multivitamin! Like butter, egg yolks boast a rich nutritional profile of bioavailable vitamin A, D, E, K, Bs, and neuro-enhancing choline. Egg yolks add richness, stability, balance, and fat for that creamy mouthfeel. This curd also features a few whole eggs, whose whites add additional structure.

Grass-fed Butter

Public opinion is swiftly turning in the favor of real butter, and thank goodness for that! Butter, specifically grass-fed, is a nutrition powerhouse, full of bioavailable vitamin A, D, E, K, Omega-3, butyrate, and calcium, wrapped in a delicious luxurious little package. Butter serves to imbue fruit curd with its signature texture; emulsifying the mixture into silken deliciousness.

Locally Sourced Fruit

The central ingredient, and where each curd derives its namesake, is the fruit of choice: lemon, orange, grapefruit, strawberry, blueberry, rhubarb, cherry, passion fruit, mango, cranberry…the list goes on! Selecting in-season, local fruits is the most economical and nutritious choice. Minimal transport cost, fewer preservatives, and natural seasonal produce cycles yield the best-tasting, most mature, and most nutritionally complete fruit.

Mineral Salt

Salt, perhaps the most universal kitchen ingredient, is often a wasted opportunity to infuse extra nutrients into every meal! Mineral salts, like Celtic sea salt, contain higher levels of magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron, and other electrolytes than typical table salt. These trace minerals support hydration, immune function, enzyme metabolism, and overall well-being. In fruit curd, salt is a crucial flavor balancer, mellowing the acid, and cutting the fat.

Citric Acid

Citric acid is an antioxidant found in citrus fruits, hence the name similarity. In the body, it binds to excess calcium, supporting kidney function and reducing oxidative stress. In curd, citric acid is an essential thickening agent, natural preservative, and enhances the customary zippy flavor. Citrus curds already contain citric acid, but other fruit curds require it to be added. For softer set curds, use less citric acid; for firmer curds, use more.

A Few Recipe Notes

Cooking Method

Eggs are very heat sensitive, which carries the risk for curdling or scrambling, two death sentences for a perfect, creamy curd. To avoid this issue, this curd is cooked in a bain marie, or water bath. This technique includes fastening a heatproof bowl just above a saucepan of boiling water, diffusing the heat to mitigate this risk. To further ensure a flawless curd, I recommend sieving the final product for some extra texture insurance.

A Note on Butter

The butter is the final ingredient added to our curd. After the eggs have been cooked and the sugar has been dissolved, softened chunks of butter are whisked in, emulsifying and enriching. It is imperative to let the curd cool slightly before adding the softened butter. This ensures the butter does not melt too quickly, jeopardizing the final texture. Allow the curd to cool to 80–90°F before adding the butter!

Citric Acid Powder

The recipes on the next page tackle any type of curd you could desire! Lemon is the most classic and my favorite, but by substituting lemon juice with other fruit juice of choice you can curd-ify anything! When working with less acidic fruits, like berries or mango, adding 2-5g of citric acid powder will help the curd to set firmly, as well as enhance the flavor. For a firmer, tangier curd, use close to 5g, for a soft-set, more mellow curd, use closer to 2g.

High Water Content Fruits

When working with fresh fruits that contain a high water content, I recommend reducing the juice separately before making your curd. This will concentrate the flavor and color of your curd. To do this, blend and strain 400g of your fruit of choice and pour it into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring your juice to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer the juice until it reaches 160g of total volume.

I love adding fresh and dried herbs, extracts, powders, or experimenting with fruit combinations! A few of my favorites are: firm-set Lemon Chamomile,
firm-set Matcha Mango, medium-set Rhubarb Elderflower, firm-set Blueberry Thyme, and soft-set Balsamic Cherry.

Enjoy fruit curd on top of yogurt bowls, toast, tarts, pancakes, pavlovas, cheesecakes, scones, in salad dressings, or simply with a spoon. The only limit is your imagination! Happy curd-ing!!

Lemon Chamomile Fruit Curd

Ingredients

• 160 g granulated sugar

• Zest of 2 lemons

• 4 egg yolks

• 2 eggs

• Pinch of salt

• 160 g lemon juice

• 85 g unsalted butter, softened

• 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste

Method

1. Place your lemon zest and granulated sugar in a small bowl. Using your hands, massage the zest into the sugar to release the essential oils.

2. Place your sugared zest, egg yolks, eggs, and salt into a large heatproof mixing bowl.

3. Using a balloon whisk, vigorously beat the egg mixture until smooth.

4. Add the lemon juice and whisk again to combine.

5. Place the mixing bowl over a double boiler or bain marie. Cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture has thickened and no longer appears frothy. A thermometer should read between 180-190°F when inserted into the center of the curd, not touching the bottom of the bowl.

6. Remove the cooked curd from the heat. Allow the curd to sit, whisking occasionally to prevent skin formation, for 5-10 minutes, or until a thermometer reads between 80-90°F. The curd should feel warm to the touch but not hot.

7. Add the butter and vanilla and whisk vigorously until smooth.

8. Pass the curd through a fine mesh sieve to remove any solid chunks of zest or accidentally cooked egg from the curd. Straining the curd is integral to a velvety-smooth final product.

9. Allow the curd to cool fully at room temperature before pouring into an airtight container of choice. Store the curd refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 400 g fresh blueberries, washed

• 160 g granulated sugar

• Zest of 2 lemons, optional but recommended

• 4 egg yolks

• 2 eggs

• Pinch of salt

• 4g citric acid powder

• 6-8 fresh thyme sprigs, washed

• 85 g unsalted butter, softened

• 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste

Method

1. Blend your blueberries on high until smooth. Pass your blueberry puree through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the skin and seeds.

2. Pour your strained blueberries into a medium saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the puree to a boil.

3. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer the blueberry puree for 15-20 minutes, until only 160g of liquid remains.

4. Pour your reduced blueberry juice into a heatproof container and set aside. Allow the juice to cool entirely before continuing.

5. Place your lemon zest and granulated sugar in a small bowl. Using your hands, massage the zest into the sugar to release the essential oils.

6. Place your sugared zest, egg yolks, eggs, salt, and citric acid into a large heatproof mixing bowl.

7. Using a balloon whisk, vigorously beat the egg mixture until smooth.

8. Add the reduced blueberry juice and whisk again to combine. Add the thyme sprigs.

9. Place the mixing bowl over a double boiler or bain marie. Cook, whisking continuously, until thickened and no longer frothy. The curd should reach 180-190°F in the center, without the thermometer touching the bottom of the bowl.

10. Remove the cooked curd from the heat. Allow the curd to sit, whisking occasionally to prevent skin from forming, for 5-10 minutes, or until a thermometer reads between 80-90°F. The curd should feel warm to touch but not hot.

11. Add the butter and vanilla. Whisk vigorously until smooth.

12. Pass the curd through a fine-mesh sieve to remove chunks of zest, accidentally cooked egg, thyme sprigs, or blueberry pieces. Straining the curd is essential for achieving a velvety-smooth final product.

13. Allow the curd to cool fully at room temperature before pouring into an airtight container of choice. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy!

the clove coterie

recipes from the earth and blog posts from the heart <3

By cèilidh

This piece was written by by from the clove coterie. Subscribe here for more of such recipes. You can also follow her on Instagram @theclovecoterie or on TikTok @theclovecoterie.

This piece was first published in Issue 42 of the WARKITCHEN, explore the rest of the issue here. Enjoy the experience 🥂

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❋ Winter 25/26 Coffee Table Book (Print)

❋ Explore the full WARKITCHEN archive here.

❋ Got an article or recipe in mind? We’d love to hear more! Please send your pitch to rocky@warkitchen.net.

You shouldn't be worrying about plastic every single day. That's a sad way to live life and it's genuinely bad for you to be in such a cortisol-spiked state 24/7. Instead, make simple (but effective) swaps and introduce habits that make it easier to live a life with minimal plastic. Then, you stop worrying about the rest.

Swap Plastic Cutting Boards for Wood
This one is easy to make. Every time you cut on a plastic cutting board you’re unknowingly adding tiny pieces of plastic into your food as an unwanted ingredient. Treat yourself to a beautiful wooden cutting board, it’ll last you longer and it ages beautifully. For more details on exactly what to look out for, check this out:

Brew Loose Leaf Tea
Tea tastes better loose leaf and it’s also healthier for you. Tea bags are one of the silent culprits when it comes to microplastics. They’re so unassuming yet most of these bags are lined with plastic!! And if you’ve been here for a while you know the biggest thing we want to avoid with plastic is heat. Never combine the two.

Avoid Cooking Sous Vide
I know this one will upset a few people but when you think about it, why is this even normalized? Listen, I can maybe understand if you’re a chef at a restaurant needing to nail five different steaks at the same time all at different temperatures. But if you’re cooking just for yourself, why? Boiling your meat in a plastic bag is just about the worst way you can cook. Takes all the fun out of it and you’re adding microplastics as an unwanted ingredient.

Use Real Cooking Pans Over Plastic Non-Stick
Non-stick pans are coated with plastic. And again, we never want to combine heat with plastic. They scratch, and immediately start shedding bits of plastic into everything you’re cooking. Opt for a good stainless steel or cast iron. Heat the pan properly, add your fat, and you’ll be fine. The best pans are heirlooms you can pass down (you can never do that with cheap teflon!).

Always Store and Heat Your Food in Glass
Glass tupperwares > plastic. Especially if you’re heating it up. Glass containers also last forever and they are cleaner. Plastic (no matter how much you clean it) just becomes gross over time.

Boil Water in a Stainless Steel Kettle
A stainless steel kettle looks better, lasts longer and doesn’t add microplastics to your water. Enough said.

Avoid Cheap Pod Coffee
Similar principle as the tea bags! Hot water forced through plastic tubing at pressure, straight into your cup. With this you also get unwanted aluminum in your coffee, which is strongly linked with neurodegenerative disease. Make real coffee or visit a friendly barista near you who knows best :)

Drink Water That’s Microplastic-Free
Water is the thing you consume most of by volume, every single day. Either filter and remineralize your water the right way or get it from brands who do it the right way.

Only Chew Natural Gum
Almost all commercial chewing gum has a synthetic base, and that base is most of the time plastic. Opt for something like mastic gum from Greco Gum or natural chicle based gum that won’t shed microplastics into your digestive system. It’s always nice to walk around with fresh breath, just take note of exactly what you’re chewing.

Sleep on Wool Stuffed Pillows
We spend a third of our lives sleeping! On top of having a good mattress, not much is talked about knowing what your pillow is made of. Opt for natural wool pillows over polyester filled pillows that release microplastics into the air.

Rugs Made of Natural Materials
Wool, cotton, silk. Like pillows, synthetic rugs shed constantly into the air of the room you’re sitting in, and they never look as good. It’s also one factor why some people think they have allergies when in fact it’s just a poor choice of material!

Wear Natural Materials Over Polyester Clothing
Natural materials just feel better. And they’re better for you as well. Always check what your clothing is made from, like how you check for ingredients at a grocery store.

Cotton / Linen Towels Over Paper Towels
Most people don’t know this but those clean white paper towels leak BPA or BPS. A better alternative (that’s also a renewable alternative) is a stack of good cotton or linen cloths.

Beeswax Candles
Modern day paraffin candles are not something you want to burn in your home! If you enjoy the vibes of burning a candle, look for beeswax. It also smells better in my opinion!

Donate Blood
This one surprises people on a plastic list but it’s one of the only proven ways for you to “detox” from plastic! Donating blood helps with removing microplastics and PFAs “forever chemicals” from your system.

> also for those who say “Does this mean we’re donating blood with microplastics to others?”

The answer is those who NEED blood have far bigger things to worry about than some microplastics. In a modern hospital setting almost everything is touched by plastic anyways. Their focus is to simply LIVE and get to baseline, not thrive. They can worry about microplastics after they've healed. We're 10000% against plastic but we have to remember how robust the human body is. Does consuming too much plastic impair fertility / mess with your hormones in the long run? Yes. Does the benefit of getting blood to your system that absolutely needs it outweigh the negatives of microplastics? Yes.

Visit the Sauna
The sauna is lauded in so many cultures. I’m not going to make big claims about what does or doesn’t leave your body in there. What I will say is that sweating properly two or three times a week makes you feel incredible, clears toxins it’s excellent for your heart, and the Nordics have been right about this for a very long time. Learn the art of the sauna:

What else would you add?

The Sandwich Issue

The Sandwich Issue has arrived. Issue 42 is proudly powered by our friends Zimms Organics who are doing extra virgin olive oil the right way. Link to read the full issue in bio. No paywall. Enjoy the experience 🥂

Coffee Matrix

Sometimes all you need is a beautiful perfectly crisp performative iced latte on a weekend afternoon 🥶

❋ A Healthy Gut Begins in our Mouth? by

“I find the microbiome systems in our bodies fascinating & the way that our bodies are so interconnected is amazing. No one thing in our body is a separate entity, they all work together as a system, communicating with one another, making up for each others imbalances, and that is why it’s so important we don’t neglect any part of ourselves. I hope this was helpful for you to understand a little bit more about the oral microbiome, at a glance.

I notice that when I prioritize my routine, I feel a huge positive difference in the overall freshness of my mouth, whiter teeth, pinker gums, healthier looking tongue, and healthier skin & digestion. So I naturally gravitate towards it because it feels good.” —

❋ Peach Basil Ice Cream

“Start by making the jam. Place your peaches in your food processor. Pulse the peaches lightly leaving some chunks. Then add your peaches to a medium sauce pan.

In a food processor add your sugar and most of your basil (reserve about 5-10 leaves). Blend on high until the leaves are completely gone. If there are any leaves left, remove them with your hands.

Place basil sugar mixture in your saucepan.

Simmer jam on medium low heat, stiring continuously until your mixture thickens. This can be anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour depending on how much liquid your peaches have in them. Do not stop stiring or it will burn.

Once your jam is the right consistency, remove from heat and let cool completely.

Finely dice up your remaining leaves. Mix it into your cooled jam.”

❋ Late Summer Biscuit Box by

“Summer generally isn’t considered prime biscuit season, we all know that Christmas holds that title, but I’m a firm believer that biscuit boxes can (and should) be made year round. If we ignore biscuits for 90% of the year we end up missing out on all of the wonderful flavours that summer brings and that would be a travesty.” —

❋ The Secrets of The Last Supper by

“Few works of art have sparked as much intrigue and debate as Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper.

A cornerstone of Western art that has captivated viewers for centuries — not only for its artistry, but for the layers of symbols and messages concealed within.

What secrets lie in the shadow of Judas’s betrayal?

How does Christ’s calm demeanor hold firm against the storm of human emotion?

And is there any truth to Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code?

Today, we break apart all of these questions to reveal what makes The Last Supper one of the most enigmatic and enduring masterpieces of all time…” —

❋ Greek Stuffed Tomatoes

“Greek stuffed tomatoes or yemista/gemista are a healthy satisfying meal that screams of flavours of Greece! This makes a great family meal, or great for company too. Serve with some fresh crusty bread extra feta and some red or white wine and everyone will enjoy. It also makes for some fantastic leftovers! With the potatoes tucked between the stuffed vegetables and the tasty tomato sauce poured over the top, this is a balanced one pan meal. This is a very versatile recipe. You can add meat or lentils to the filling. You can use different vegetables like zucchini/courgette or eggplant and peppers. The filling is wonderful in all of them. You can add pine nuts and/or sultanas or raisins to the stuffing too. These are similar to my stuffed pepper recipe but this is a vegetarian version I love making with homegrown tomatoes or heirloom ones toward the end of the summer when the tomatoes are sweet and to die for.

Every family has their own Gemista recipe and every region has its own variation of this Greek dish. This is a classic and typical recipe for Gemista. Loaded with delicious fresh herbs and some briny add ins to the filling. This beautiful dish is one of those that tastes best the day after it has been made. It is usually eaten at room temperature (rather than steaming hot) and a glass of chilled white wine or some red if you prefer goes well with it. You can definitely serve it with Greek salad and some crust bread too. A classic Greek dish you will enjoy!”

❋ How much would you pay for the perfect peach? by

“I can’t exactly remember when, but at some point my summer Martha’s Vineyard visits became defined by the hunt for Gold Bud peaches. I think we first found them at Katama General Store, 6 or 7 years ago — a mix of bewilderment and curiosity at the price tag, which back then would run you about $8 per peach. But then again, these peaches seemed perfect: packaged in crates fitted with custom inserts to prevent bruising during transit, bigger than my fist and colored deep sunset reds and oranges, so taut they seemed to be bursting at the seams with juices, and strongly perfumed. You didn’t even need to hold one to your nose, just enter the general vicinity of the crate, to smell that distinct, perfect sweet, floral peachy scent.

That first summer we saw them we took the bait. We bought them. And we ate them. Almost daring the peach to be disappointing so we could gawk at what a scam it was and roll our eyes the next time we saw some group of suckers buy the expensive, beautiful peaches.” —

❋ The Art of the Morning Tray by

“I briefly wrote about this in my morning routine, but I firmly believe it deserves it’s own post.

The Art of The Morning Tray.

There is something about morning trays that are so elevated. Once I started doing it, I remembered the fabulous old ladies I’ve known who would start every day by having a breakfast tray brought to them in bed.

That is the vibe.

Truly, it’s such a little thing that romanticizes the entire morning. It sets the entire vibe. & it also is such a good habit hack (i’ll explain how)” —

Rebuild your IG Algorithm (more fun links):

❋ Things I’d change in every single new build

❋ Non Pinterest wedding references

❋ How to spread butter properly

❋ Get to know your mangoes

❋ Crane scissors

❋ Mango lemonade

❋ Le Goûter — chocolate baguette, cultured butter & dark chocolate

❋ Yellow barred tilefish

❋ The most artistic tiramisu I’ve ever seen

Hope you had a great weekend!
— Rocky

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❋ All our digital issues are free to peruse. Explore our latest:

❋ Winter 25/26 Coffee Table Book (Print)

❋ Explore the full WARKITCHEN archive here.

❋ Join WARKITCHEN book club here.

❋ Got an article or recipe in mind? We’d love to hear more! Please send your pitch to rocky@warkitchen.net.

Ladies and gents, we’re back! This time, with an issue that celebrates the humble sandwich.

Inside: The most underrated sandwich in the world (Singapore’s kaya toast), Sloppy Joe in Havana, Pane Cunzato, Summer Fruit Curd, PB&J, Healthier Philly Cheesesteaks, Homemaking, Dreams and so much more… There’s an entire world for you to explore!

In a world where around 70% of the olive oil on store shelves is spoiled, blended, or cut with filler seed oils, we are proud that Issue 42 is powered by our friends who are doing extra virgin olive oil the right way, Zimms Organics.

What makes Zimms Organics special is that they are one of the few brands with a dedicated oil for every occasion. COOK for everyday cooking, HEAL for sipping and finishing, and HEAL+ for your daily shot, our highest polyphenol oil. Find yours at zimmsorganics.com. Use code WARKITCHEN20 for 20% off any one-time purchase, WARKITCHEN5 will give you a total 30% off any subscription item.

Issue 42 is best enjoyed in a double-page spread layout:

Click here to access the full PDF

Note: Individual articles will be published on our editorial page in the coming days. If this is your first time here (welcome!!), subscribe to receive them in your inbox:

If you’re not quite sure what to expect, scroll for a taste of what’s inside. Tapping on any one of the images grants you access to the full digital issue.

Summer Fruit Curd

“The earliest known recipe for fruit curd appeared in the 1844 British cookbook The Lady’s Own Cookery Book, making it clear that this preserve has long been a staple in kitchens.”
—

Sloppy Joe in Havana

“From North Africa, to the Moorish conquering of Spain, to the conquistador’s colonization of the new world, to the drunken vacation in Havana, to my 12 year-old dinner plate. This dish has come a long way.”
— Tony Mann

Pane Cunzato

“It really is a perfect bite - crusty bread, sweet tomato, salty cheese, briny anchovies and capers - all brought together by the fragrant, floral oregano oil.”
—

Death of a Tulip

“Coffee is a work of art that takes an exorbitant amount of time and effort.”
— George Curtis

How to Up Your PB&J Game

“This humble creation not only evokes vivid memories of elementary school lunches eaten out of my metal Snoopy lunchbox, but also represents one of my earliest kitchen triumphs - a recipe I could confidently make on my own.”
—

Healthier Philly Cheesesteaks

“It’s one of those dinners that feels indulgent, but isn’t - and every single time I make it, it disappears fast.”
—

Kaya Toast

“The silkiness of the kaya is lost in the crumb’s coarse and firm chew, and the bold flavours overwhelm the delicate interplay of pandan and coconut.”
—

The Forgotten Value of Homemaking

“If you’re a mother, nothing is more valuable than giving yourself to your children and husband and home. It may not be noticed. It may not be applauded. It may be belittled by the world. But it is the most needed and valuable way you can spend your time and energy.”
— Laura Dill

Dreams & Realism

“If art is the record of the soul of humanity, then art history is a record of humanity’s response to the world on a soul level”
—

Jambon Beurre

“The best baguette, the best jambon, a generous slathering of butter, and a heap of cornichons, enough cornichons that you don’t have to monitor your intake to ensure you have a pickle nibble in each bite.”
—

The Healing Power of Classical Music

“The healing power of music was recognized as far back as ancient Greece, where vibrations were used to aid digestion, treat mental disorders, and induce sleep”
— Kristyna Bedrnova

Community Eats

As always, every issue is made complete with your works of Art. Thank you for all your submissions. Spot yourself :)

Click here to access the full PDF

Explore Issue 42 in full

Our issues wouldn't be possible without our contributors. Show them love.

Enjoy the experience,
Rocky

❋ All our digital issues are free to peruse. Explore the full archive here.

❋ Read WARKITCHEN in print! Winter 25/26 is currently still in stock (at this point in writing). You can get a copy here.

❋ Got an article or recipe in mind? We’d love to hear more! Please send your pitch to rocky@warkitchen.net.

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Tomatoes are beautiful. When they’re perfectly ripe, they’re such a joy to have. The wonderful thing about tomatoes is just how versatile they are. You can have them spread on some morning bruschetta, make a hearty lasagna, a light summer salad or even a beautiful Turkish İskender kebap.

So I thought, what better way to celebrate the beauty of the tomato than to show you some of the most popular varieties in the world!

Of course, this doesn't cover EVERY tomato in the world (there are thousands of varieties out there), let us know if we missed a favorite of yours 🫶

San Marzano
Some would say they’re the most famous tomatoes in the world. But did you know that there are more fake San Marzanos sold worldwide than real ones by a wide margin? Real ones grow only in volcanic soil around Mount Vesuvius and carry DOP protection (as they should).

Pachino
Sicilian farmers say the salty sea breeze from the coast is what makes them taste so sweet.

Cuore di Bue
The name means “oxheart” in Italian. Old-school Italian grandmothers grow these specifically for the tomato tart on Ferragosto (marks the PEAK of Italian summer) that’s on August 15th.

Datterino
The name literally means “little date” because of the shape. They’re one of the best tomatoes to snack on (in the dozens).

Costoluto Fiorentino
Grown in Tuscany since the 1800s. The deep ribbing was actually considered a defect by modern breeders but Italians kept the variety alive because they liked the look! They remind me a lot of how tomatoes looked like in cartoons when we were kids.

Marmande
Named after the town of Marmande in southwest France where tomatoes have been grown commercially since the 1600s. There’s a mid-August festival there every year called Fête de la Tomate that draws thousands.

Santorini
Grows with no irrigation at all. The plants survive on morning fog from the sea and volcanic ash retaining what little moisture there is. This drought stress is what concentrates the flavor.

Sun Gold
One of the most popular tomatoes. Bred by Tokita Seed Company in Japan and consistently ranks as the sweetest tomato variety ever grow! Some say it’s as sweet as ripe watermelon.

Momotaro
The name means “Peach Boy” after the famous Japanese folk hero. It’s the number one tomato sold in Japan and rarely exported.

Campari
The Netherlands grows most of the world’s supply in high-tech greenhouses that run 24/7.

Kumato
Developed through conventional breeding, never GMO! The brown-green color that looks unripe is actually its ripe state.

Raf
RAF stands for Resistente al Fusarium (“Resistant to Fusarium”). Bred in Almería in the 1960s for salt-heavy soil that would kill other tomatoes, which is why they have a subtle mineral saltiness in the flavor.

Roma
Released by USDA in 1955 specifically for canning. One of the most widely grown processing tomatoes on the planet.

Beefsteak
One of the thiccest tomatoes in the world. Individual fruits regularly weigh over 1 lb, with some exceeding 2 lb

Brandywine
Amish heirloom tomato from the 1880s that almost went extinct in the 1980s. Widely considered the best-tasting tomato in the world.

Black Cherry
Bred by Vince Sapp in the 1990s. The only truly dark-purple cherry tomato in commercial production!

Green Zebra
Bred by Tom Wagner in 1983 to prove that green tomatoes could taste amazing (I’m still not sure I’m convinced!!)

What’s your favorite way to enjoy a good summer tomato?

Summer is for joy-maxxing

They say money can't buy happiness but food surely can. Food that nourishes you deeply. Food that leaves you feeling good after. And a little sweet treat or two in between because you deserve it. Summer is for joy-maxxing.

How blessed are we that ice cream exits

Thinking about ice cream. Thinking about espresso. Thinking about affogato.

❋ A Caramelized Banana Split by

“For the days when you’re feeling particularly ambitious, here is a recipe to make a banana split from scratch - everything from the ice cream to the fudge to the strawberry sauce.” —

❋ Summer Favorites by

“I’m interrupting the regular flow of recipes to tell you about Everything I’m Loving Right Now™. What’s life if you don’t stop and notice maybe you’re actually happy and take note of all the things that are making it so. These are a few of those things, or at least the more tangible ones I can recommend to you. I’d love to hear what’s really doing it for you these days, so don’t be shy in the comments.” —

❋ Painting Dandelion, The Gifts of Dandelion by

“Dandelion is probably one of the most detoxifying plants on the planet. A mover and bile-promoter/gastrointestinal tonic, leaves, root and flowers—the whole plant has a variety of medicine to offer our bodies. The leaves are beautiful for any kidney or bladder issues, with a mild diuretic effect. The root is incredible at cleansing the liver and gallbladder, and offers some good grounding energy, while the flowers are great for topical applications on the skin like blemishes or rashes. A super nutritive and tonic being full of vitamins and minerals that make our bodies feel incredibly nourished.” —

❋ Pan Con Tomate (Spanish Tomato Bread)

“If you gave me the choice between a recipe with 18 ingredients or one with just a few simple, quality ingredients, I’d choose plates like this Pan con Tomate every 👏 single 👏 time 👏. The smell and taste of the charred bread takes me right back to my childhood in Europe. My Bapche 👵🏼 would add a drizzle of good olive oil to a slice of bread and toast it over the flame of her wood burning stove. Then, she would top it with grated tomato & garlic, a pinch of salt, and a few leaves of basil or oregano (whichever she had on hand). And you? You’re just 5 ingredients, 10 minutes, and one plate grater away from a truly delicious moment 🍅🥖.”

❋ Honey Thyme Gruyère Baked in Puff Pastry

“Who doesn’t like melted cheese and pastry? Just the thought of this recipe for Honey Thyme Gruyère Baked in Puff Pastry makes my mouth water! It’s one of those recipes that looks difficult but takes only a few minutes to put together and that makes it very dangerous considering that you could potentially make this and eat it all yourself! It’s really that good!

Cubes of Gruyère Cheese are sprinkled with thyme and drizzled with hot honey (I used Mike’s) and baked in a nest of puff pastry! It comes out of the oven looking like the best ooey gooey bread ever and it might just be! I served this pan of deliciousness hot out of the oven with Hot Pepper Cranberry Jelly. A simple green salad with pears, dried cranberries, walnuts and a little sautèed pancetta seemed a perfect accompaniment! A little slice of Gruyère puff pastry alongside a serving of salad is such a delicious lunch, with, of course, a glass of Rosé! This is a recipe to serve all year long!”

❋ Save a Bowl, Use a Melon by [Paid Post]

“Today we’re highlighting four of the most popular & favorite melons: cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew & sugar plum (which is like a baby variety of cantaloupe). I’ve been trying out a ton more melons this year, there’s so many I haven’t even heard of. If you see any you are curious about, try them!!!! & you can even swap out those for the melons I use if the shoe fits, but I wanted to create my main recipes with melons that are most easily accessible. BTW—If you see a yellow watermelon, gettttt itttttt. It’s my new obsession.

OK before we get into it lets to do a little crash course on picking a good melon, because there’s nothing worse than picking up a watermelon at the market, being soooooo excited about it, and then cutting it open only to reveal that it’s overripe, grainy, mushy and flavorless. Devastating. So let’s try to avoid that the best we can and pick melons that are juicy & sweeeet.” —

❋ Basil Peach Heirloom Tomato Jam

“I’m about to be that person that convinces you to jam something this summer. Or in this case, put all those garden tomatoes and the last of this season’s peaches to very good use.

An unconventional combo I know, but hear me out. This tomato jam is SHOCKINGLY good.

And no, it’s NOT a pain in the butt to make. I think a lot of people hear the words “homemade jam” and picture spending the whole day in a hot kitchen prepping fruit and standing over a hot stove.”

Rebuild your IG Algorithm (more fun links):

❋ The era of the skinny wedding suit is over

❋ How about a copper tub?

❋ Thomas Keller’s roast chicken

❋ The Brasilia drawers

❋ Apartment tour of a no big lights person

❋ Why are there almost no beach scenes before the 19th century?

❋ The Japanese colander

❋ Repeat after me: functional decor

❋ How to fruit basket

Have an amazing week!
— Rocky

Share

❋ All our digital issues are free to peruse. Explore our latest:

❋ Winter 25/26 Coffee Table Book (Print)

❋ Explore the full WARKITCHEN archive here.

❋ Join WARKITCHEN book club here.

❋ Got an article or recipe in mind? We’d love to hear more! Please send your pitch to rocky@warkitchen.net.

One of the joys of life (especially in summer) is enjoying your time at a beautiful café. Whether it’s mid morning or a few hours after lunch, it’s always nice to walk into a pretty spot and just recharge, tastefully caffeinated of course. Especially when it’s a spot where you’re a regular. Where the moment you walk in they already know what you’re gonna get. It’s a special feeling and something I never take for granted.

That being said, there are a number of cafés in this world that charge a premium for nothing. You want to make sure your dollars go toward an establishment that’s doing things the right way. Here are some things worth spending money on, café edition.

1. Freshly pressed juice over carton concentrate

I’m of the belief that every self respecting café (or restaurant) should be making freshly pressed juice if there’s a juice offering on their menu. It’s not that difficult. All you need is a little elbow grease!

Side note, if you’re wanting to make good juice at home invest in a stainless steel mechanical juice press! It’s the best way to make fresh juice in the comfort of your own home.

2. Pastries / sourdough made from scratch

The best cafés either partner with a local bakery or make their pastries and bread from scratch. There’s nothing worse than those spots that clearly sell frozen pastries at a markup. It just doesn’t feel right and you’re almost always not getting your money’s worth. I will always support the establishments that do things the right way! I believe it’s worth paying a premium for real pastries, especially in spots that go out of their way to use things like good French butter instead of cheaping out on a canola oil blend. Also… think about it. A lot of these bakers get up at the crack of dawn to make these little beauties for us. The least we could do is vote with our dollars.

3. Real milk

Cafés that drop dairy entirely are usually not that good. Support your local cafés that have good, real dairy milk! Though I have to say plant based milk option that I wish more cafés will use is coconut milk - or even to offer coconut water in some of their coffees! I tried a coconut latte once and it was incredible. Especially in the afternoon during a hot summers day.

4. Beautiful non-plastic cutlery

Now, this is something that’s becoming a rarity. More and more cafés are opting to use disposable whenever they can. Paper bags for pastries over a plate with a nice fork and knife, disposable “to go” cups even when you’re having it there. I always make it a point to support the café that still sticks to their guns and gives you good cups, plates and flatware. There’s just something about sipping your piccolo off a small ceramic cup that enhances the experience. When you think about it, the idea is the same as the whole QR code menu thing. These are little things in the grand scheme of things that “increase efficiency” for the business but it deteriorates the customer experience, however so slightly.

5. A nice ambience

The best cafés are full of natural light. When it’s dark out, they’re well lit with warm yellowish amber. I don’t get cafés that install white bright LEDs that just blind your eyes. It just doesn’t feel good. I want to sip coffee, enjoy a warm pain au chocolat in an ambience that feels like a cool friend’s living room. It’s better to spend money at the café that takes this into consideration. It’s not just more beautiful either, it’s better for your circadian health.

6. Friendly staff

This is one I wasn’t sure whether to include. Some might say that this comes across as somewhat pretentious and don’t get me wrong - I’m not saying you deserve to be treated nicer just because you’re paying more, say in a more upscale café. I’ve just found it to be such a taint on the experience in those small circumstances where you meet a barista who just does not want to be there. When it’s clear they just aren’t in the right headspace for any form of human interaction (and hey, I don’t blame them sometimes!). BUT, I have to say having friendly good people who emanate a positive vibe is such fun to be around. Sometimes, this starts from you!! Always take the initiative to start the hello, ask about their day, without being too intrusive. Just be nice. Especially if it’s a café that you intend to visit more often. Regular maxx.

7. Great coffee

You just know when a café cares about the coffee that they make. They almost always have a signature blend (or blends that you choose from) and are usually enthusiastic about recommending you something you should try, especially if it’s your first time. All I’m going to say for this is that good coffee is almost always worth the premium it demands.

8. Intentional music

I don’t really care about the music in a café unless it’s outrageously loud or just playing songs that just don’t fit the vibe. It’s always nice when there’s a well curated playlist in the background that’s at a volume that lets you talk, with songs that add to the ambience.

What would you add? What does a café (or even restaurant) have that would make you be willing to spend a premium at? Leave your suggestions in the comments below!

The sandwich is a marvelous invention

You need to be sandwichmaxxing

Fruits for August

What are you looking forward to this August?

Pain suisse

It’s pain au chocolat but better

❋ Sweet Corn Spoon Bread with Honey and Butter by

“My recipe strikes my personal perfect balance. We’ll steep the corn cobs (kernels set aside) in a milk + sugar mixture before adding in the corn meal and fresh corn kernels to thicken it up into a batter consistency. Then we’ll fold in whipped egg whites to make it light and fluffy before sprinkling with a generous layer of sugar that forms a cracky sugar crust in the oven.

Like a traditional soufflé, spoon bread is best eaten straight out of the oven. I like to make it even more ridiculous with a pad of cold butter that begins to melt immediately on contact and a drizzle of honey. I didn’t grow up in the South—not even close—but one bite of this immediately elicits a nostalgia for a childhood memory I never had... or maybe it’s just the faint reminiscence of Aunt Maggie’s sweet potato version :)”

❋ A Chef's Guide to Weaning, Episode 1 by

“Chefs are famous people pleasers. It’s why we tolerate high levels of stress, anxiety, occasional humiliation. We do it to serve the people eating the food. Which in turn soothes our own egos. For me certainly the pleasure in cooking someone something delicious comes from seeing how it affects their mood, and how it affects their perception of me. I get such joy and satisfaction from seeing people take pleasure of my cooking, not least because I then also jump to the conclusion that they think I am talented and creative and effortless. It is also how I, and I think many others, communicate affection. A love language so to speak. So when the reactions are a bit more lukewarm it feels like a huge rejection. Add in a baby who is literally not interested in your feelings at all (rightfully so) and things get spicy.” —

❋ Oma’s Waffles by

“These traditional German waffles (Waffeln) are my all-time favourite. Not too sweet, easy to whip up and just so satisfying to eat! This recipe was one of the only ones passed down from my Oma to my dad, who would often make them for breakfast when it was just the two of us.

Please make them and eat them greedily with lots of powdered sugar and salted butter.

Makes: 5 waffles (I will usually make a double batch and then freeze leftovers to reheat for a quick breakfast later on.)” —

❋ The Only Grill Sauce You Need This Summer by

“One of the biggest misconceptions in cooking is that great food requires a pantry full of expensive sauces and seasonings. Walk down the condiment aisle, and you’ll find bottles filled with seed oils, corn syrup, gums, preservatives, and ingredients you can’t pronounce. Most of them promise to make your food taste better. Most of them just cover it up. Instead, start with real ingredients.

This butter-based grill sauce has become my go-to all summer because it takes about three minutes to make and works on just about everything. Brush it over chicken during the last minute on the grill. Spoon it over a rested steak. Toss it with grilled shrimp, salmon, vegetables, or potatoes. It even doubles as a bread dip - one simple sauce with endless uses.” —

❋ The Locker Room by

“The locker room in the sport of tennis is a strange ecosystem. On the surface, it’ a place where tennis players change and shower before and after matches. In reality, however, tennis players eat there and nap there, they meditate and prepare their materials in the locker room - while, most importantly and somewhat eerily, they’re surrounded by all their opponents and rivals. You technically go back to the locker room to be yourself, supposedly the one area in professional tennis that promises privacy, but you actually have to present a neatly put-together façade.

Thanks for reading Finite Jest! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

If you were to externalise some of the feelings you have before a match - crying, yelling, nervous breakdowns - your opponent would see you. So, you better pull yourself together.

There are not many other sports where opponents share a space before they go out to battle. Not many other sports where you can study your rival’s face, their rituals of preparation, how they do their hair, whether they like their outfit, how many times they sprint to the bathroom (signs of nerves?) and what they eat for hours before you eventually see them across the net. Your focus on the opponent before a match is like a computer calculating every information and breaking it down to one question: How confident are they that they can beat me today?

Hopefully, the answer is: not very.” —

❋ Honey Oat Sourdough Bread

“Honey Oat Sourdough Bread is a hearty, golden brown loaf made with bread flour, rolled oats, honey, and an active sourdough starter that delivers a soft crumb with a chewy bite and a beautiful nutty crust. The honey adds a little bit of tang and sweetness while the oats give this homemade bread a great texture and rustic finish that makes it perfect for sandwiches, french toast, or simply slathered with butter.

This easy honey oat sourdough bread fits right into your day with a baker’s schedule that’s similar to a traditional sourdough loaf: mix the bread dough in the morning, let it complete its first rise and bulk fermentation, shape it the next day, and bake a delicious bread that stays fresh for days and freezes well for baking ahead.”

❋ Did Our Ancestors Sunbathe? by

“Our ancestors met the full spectrum, shifting in composition from sunrise to noon to dusk, in an order and rhythm that modern glass, sunscreen, and indoor life scramble completely. An evolutionary argument that fixates on UV stress while ignoring the other 93% of the spectrum, and the timing of the whole package, is answering the wrong question with confidence.

Our ancestors got vastly more lifelong sun than we do, and their bodies were adapted to receive it. How they spent their leisure hours with it is beyond recovery, and no story about tanning, pulsing, or ochre changes that. The people insisting ancient humans carefully rationed their exposure are guessing. So are the people insisting every ray was an assault our ancestors fled. Both are dressing preference as history.

What we can say with confidence lives in physiology and spectrum, not in imagined behavior. We evolved under abundant, full spectrum light delivered on a daily cycle, and we built our biology around it. That is the ground worth standing on. Everything past it is a campfire tale, and it is worth knowing which one you are being told.” —

Rebuild your IG Algorithm (more fun links):

❋ Melon balled in melon with limaaaa 🍋‍🟩

❋ Napoleon Cake

❋ Digital filing system

❋ Every little thing is an opportunity for unlimited artistic expression

❋ Gourmet sandwich

❋ Gochujang compound butter

❋ Crema di caffè is Italy’s answer to hot summer days

❋ Mixing woods 101

❋ Caffè shakerato meets cappuccino gelato for a cold, creamy, slushy take on the classic affogato

Enjoy your week beautiful people!
— Rocky

Share

❋ All our digital issues are free to peruse. Explore our latest:

❋ Winter 25/26 Coffee Table Book (Print)

❋ Explore the full WARKITCHEN archive here.

❋ Join WARKITCHEN book club here.

❋ Got an article or recipe in mind? We’d love to hear more! Please send your pitch to rocky@warkitchen.net.

I can never get over how magical breakfast is. Whenever someone talks about enjoying a slow morning, I think about breakfast. No other meal is imbued with as much optimism. The baby sun is in the sky. You’re whisking eggs. Birds are chirping. The smell of toasted sourdough is in the air. Compound butter is soft and ready to be spread. You’re making some juice. You get your things ready for your post-meal coffee walk. Life is good.

It’s truly a blessing to be able to experience a nourishing breakfast without having to rush. If you’re someone who gets up early every day for work, I urge you to try at least having one lazy breakfast every weekend. The kind that starts your day off on a good note. You wake up with no alarm, put your hands above your head to stretch, and get adjusted to the brand new day and all the possibilities that lie ahead.

If you’re new here, you might think we’re exaggerating. I mean, it’s just breakfast, right? Well, I’m a firm believer that in this life you have to appreciate and cherish the little things. Especially when you’re caught up in the hustle and bustle of the everyday. A good breakfast is one such joy I will never take for granted.

Here are some tips for better breakfasts:

1. If you’re having bread / sourdough, always prepare it last
   I know some people enjoy bread that isn’t toasted but I’m not one of them. Sure, sometimes it works great in a sandwich but good bread is almost always better toasted. Don’t make the mistake of toasting it first only for it to be all soft and soggy the moment you bite into it. Bread always gets toasted last - same rule with the buns of any burger you make.

2. Pair your coffee well
   If you like having coffee with your breakfast, pair it well. You want to feel good after breakfast. Personally, I go with a piccolo if I’m having coffee right after the meal itself (especially if it’s particularly heavy). It goes down much better that way. A cappuccino has too much milk if you’re having it with a heavy breakfast. The ideal situation for me has always been some eggs, butter, sourdough, maybe some smoked salmon, a glass of freshly pressed juice, some sparkling water and a warm piccolo on the side. Absolutely glorious. I will say though, some mornings it’s nice to just have a frothy cappuccino with a warm, airy pain au chocolat. The Europeans are real ball knowers.

3. Use breakfast as an opportunity to have more cheese
   You don’t need to relegate cheese to charcuterie board time with the friends. Use breakfast to try new cheese! I used to always wander into a cheese shop and find something cool I could bring back home to have with breakfast. You can just serve it on the side (as is traditional in Turkish breakfasts) or get something like a good block of herb gouda which you can grate on your eggs! From there you can slowly learn what you like, what you don’t and build a little cheese library.

4. Hydration is important
   Everyone always tells you to immediately chug some water down after being asleep for eight hours. Well, they’re right. You’re dehydrated and you need some fluids. Though, how boring is it to just sip a glass of room temperature water with an electrolyte packet? I prefer living a life with more fun than that. Get some fruit in your system! Slice some fresh dragon fruit. Enjoy some blueberries! Make juice. Have some mango. Come on, it’s summer. If you’re truly a fan of freshly pressed juice you should get a stainless steel mechanical juicer! It’s one of the best investments anyone can make. If you need some inspiration on what fruits to get, here’s our fruits for July chart:

5. The many types of eggs you make

One of the best things about eggs is the many ways you can make them. It blows my mind how you can just scramble them when you want to. American omelet. French omelet. Sunny side up. Poached. Fried. Soft boiled. Hard boiled. It just goes on and on! I urge you to use breakfast as an opportunity to experiment with different types of eggs. Maybe you’re in a poached egg phase. But if you want a reason to change things up, consider soft boiling your eggs! Try something different. It’s impossible to get bored of eggs when there are so many ways you can enjoy them. OG followers will know we were at one point incredibly fascinated by the French omelet. In my opinion, it’s absolutely gorgeous and so satisfying when you nail it. I tried everything possible to perfect it and I’ll say this is the egg dish you should make if there’s anyone you want to impress. You can find the recipe here:

6. Explore your compound butters

It’s the same idea with cheese, really. Use breakfast as your time to experiment with new flavors of beautiful compound butter. Lately, I’ve been enjoying this oignon de roscoff (roscoff onion) from Maison Bordier. I know it sounds bad but it’s actually really good!

So, what makes your perfect breakfast? Let me know in the comments below :)

P.S. we also posted a “breakfast formula” of sorts in the past which might help you come up with some ideas for your next lazy weekend breakfast! Check this out:

There are two types of coffee drinkers

Life is meant to be lived caffeinated

You need to be eating more watermelon

It's a watermelon summer

❋ Spaghetti with Sardines, Capers, Olives and Tomato Sauce

“The ultimate pantry storage dinner! If you don’t feel like doing groceries, and want to fling something together from what you have at hand, this is what you should make. Or at least get these ingredients in your storage for a quick dinner after a busy day. Oh, and a healthy dish as well!”

❋ How To Make Homemade Ranch Dressing [Paid] by

“If your ranch tastes like seasoned mayonnaise, you are using the wrong ingredients.

Mayonnaise should give ranch its body, but it should not become the entire personality of the dressing. Good ranch is creamy but still pourable. It has enough tang to cut through the richness, fresh herbs you can actually taste, and a savory finish that keeps you going back for another bite.

The most important place to start is the ratio. My base uses mayonnaise, buttermilk, and sour cream. The buttermilk and sour cream bring the tang, while the mayonnaise holds everything together. From there, fresh dill and chives make the dressing taste alive. Lemon juice and zest brighten it, and Worcestershire sauce, nutritional yeast, and aged Parmesan build the deep savory flavor that makes homemade ranch so difficult to stop eating.

This is not just one ranch recipe. Once you understand the base, you can make it thicker for wings, thinner for salads, or turn it into chipotle ranch, jalapeño ranch, or smoky ranch.” —

❋ How to Love Cooking & The Easiest Pasta Recipe Ever by

“I began cooking when I was maybe 11 or 12 years old. I grew up in a house full of women who cooked extremely well. My mum was and still is an incredible cook and my grandma and aunt owned a Filipino bakery that served traditional Filipino dishes along with sugary pastries and elaborate wedding cakes. Food has always been a big part of my family, as it is in most Asian households. Holidays are spent cooking everything from scratch, time together ALWAYS involves food and our love language is cooking your favorite meal and feeding you until you can barely move. Looking back, I feel so fortunate that I was fed a home cooked meal every night and had a packed lunch to take to school everyday. Now that is luxury.

When people say they don’t like cooking, I generally think it’s just because they didn’t grow up with anyone who truly loved it. Sure, cooking can be a chore— it’s time intensive and can be stressful and overwhelming. But for me, there’s nothing better than seeing people I love enjoy the food I put my heart and soul into making for them— I have a rule that I won’t cook for anyone I don’t actually love or care about. With the growing popularity of food delivery services, I fear that cooking will become even more of a lost art. And due to the compulsive need for us to “optimize” our lives and our time, I’ve no doubt that it will soon become the least of our priorities. Let’s not let that happen ok?

I know sometimes when people say a recipe is easy you might think “for WHO?”. But this one actually is, and you only need a few ingredients, most of which you already have at home. Now, I’m no pasta making expert, but I’ve tried dozens and dozens of pasta pomodoro dishes from all over. I’ve tried making this recipe a handful of different ways but this is the one I could eat every day if I had to.

I don’t measure anything when I cook, so I’ll give approximate amounts for the ingredients but don’t worry too much about it. Cooking is all about tasting as you go and unlike baking, most things can be estimated and easily corrected.” —

❋ The Regenerative Home Series (Part 2): Exactly Where I’d Start & My Master List by

“People underestimate circadian health- but it’s just as important as hormonal health. Healing lights in your home can give you serious benefits, & you only need to put in the effort to switch your lights once! Truly, you are under lights all the time, so it is so beyond worth it.

In the morning: I open my windows for sunlight & turn on the full spectrum grow lights if I want even more light.

In the evenings: it’s incandescent, red lights, or beeswax candles. I also always use my red blue light blocking glasses!” —

❋ Summer rituals by

“The Count of Monte Cristo - Castles perched above the sea, hidden treasure, secret identities, and daring escapes. The Count of Monte Cristo is an epic of adventure and transformation, exploring justice, vengeance, hope, and the question of whether becoming the instrument of fate comes at the cost of one's humanity. I’m currently reading it in its entirety for the first time (after always loving the movie and abridged version from English class) and it’s immediately becoming one of my favorite classics.” —

❋ Rissoles by

“Long, long ago, according to legend, the lands around the great medieval fortress of Coucy were terrorized by a ferocious lion “who had thick, long hair, a proud and hideous gaze, and bristling fur.”. The Lord of Coucy, Enguerrand II, slew the beast and freed the countryside. The victory was considered so momentous that a stone lion was carved and erected in the town square as a permanent memorial. A relief of the lion was also sculpted above the gate of the great tower of the castle.

This story of this glorious feat performed by the 12th-century Seigneur of Coucy, Count of Amiens is recounted, among other historians, by Maximilien Melleville in his 1848 history of Le Château de Coucy. From this victory, Melleville continues, annual festivities were instituted in Enguerrand’s honor. One extremely bizarre ceremony was performed by the Abbey of Nogent, which owed a feudal obligation to the Lords of Coucy. Three times a year, the abbot, or more commonly his tenant, had to present rissoles to the Lord of Coucy in the square where the stone lion stood. But, of course, this being the Middle Ages, a mere presentation wasn’t enough.” —

❋ Peach fritter donuts (w/ brown butter maple vanilla bean glaze) by

“These Peach Fritter Donuts with Brown Butter Maple Vanilla Bean Glaze are just perfect for peach season — soft and fluffy on the inside, yet have that perfectly golden and crisp (almost slightly chewy) exterior that makes a really good fritter impossible to beat. Then tucked into each bite is a warm and gooey peach filling that is full of those juicy, tart peaches that just BURST and are so full of flavor. Fried until perfectly golden and coated in my favorite glaze ever, brown butter maple vanilla bean glaze — it melts into every crack and crevice and adds that deep, warm, nutty richness that pairs so beautifully with the peaches!” —

Rebuild your IG Algorithm (more fun links):

❋ The big 5 by Fyodor Dostoevsky

❋ Things I’d put in every single bathroom

❋ Roasted Apricot & Honey Sorbet

❋ Spoon pizza boat

❋ Coffee shop essentials

❋ Harissa preserved lemon mushroom kebabs with and avocado ‘brain sauce’

❋ Why your home doesn’t feel as good as it looks

❋ The glass matters, always

❋ Grand Scale Georgian Country House plate rack from 1760

Enjoy your week beautiful people!
— Rocky

Share

❋ All our digital issues are free to peruse. Explore our latest:

❋ Winter 25/26 Coffee Table Book (Print)

❋ Explore the full WARKITCHEN archive here.

❋ Join WARKITCHEN book club here.

❋ Got an article or recipe in mind? We’d love to hear more! Please send your pitch to rocky@warkitchen.net.

Lately there’s been this trend of things worth spending money on and I thought we’d chime in. See, firstly there’s nothing wrong with spending money - especially on things that improve your quality of life. Money is a tool at the end of the day. Absolutely destroying your quality of life just to scrimp as much money as possible is a sad way to live.

This is by no means a comprehensive list! Feel free to add some of your own in the comments section below as well :)

Real food is always worth it

A goat milk subscription. Gentler on the stomach than cow milk, and good goat milk is absolutely worth a subscription. Support your local!

Weekly local sourdough. There’s nothing like a beautiful loaf of sourdough. If you can make one at home, brilliant. If not, get it weekly from your local bakery. Worth every dollar!

Niche extra virgin olive oil. You need to be collecting olive oil like wine. Get peppery olive oil. Fruity. Some that’s in between. Taste the difference and enjoy yourself.

Blocks of Parmigiano Reggiano. Never get pre-grated cheese dust. Always buy blocks, save the rind for soups / stock and always grate generously!

Raw honey of all races. It’s nice having different honeys for different things. Sometimes you want a sweet acacia for your teas, a darker jarrah for medicinal purposes or a good raw wildflower honey for drizzling over your sunny side up eggs.

Great salt of all kinds. A finer salt for seasoning your food and various flaky salts to sprinkle on your food if you so wish!

Expensive chocolate. Real chocolate is always worth it. It’s a completely different food from the slop that most candy bars are made of. Indulge tastefully.

Great coffee. Nobody ever regrets enjoying a good cup of coffee. Make it yourself if you want to or enjoy going out to a café and support the professionals who make them day in day out. I hate the notion of people saying you’re wasting your hard-earned money spending $7 on a coffee. That investing that $7 over 40 years would instead make you a millionaire. This is a very sad mindset to live by. Sure, put money aside to save for a better future. But at what expense? Enjoying a good frothy cappuccino in the morning in a vibrant café is one of the joys of life. You might even get an idea in your head that could possibly change your life for the better!

Farmer’s market hauls. Great produce nourishes your heart, mind, body and soul. There’s literally nothing more worth spending than good food. Food that actually makes your body stronger, your mind more robust and leaves you feeling amazing. Always visit farmer’s markets when you can. This is also how you eat with the seasons effortlessly.

Oyster Sunday. Always find a reason to have more oysters! Especially if you’re trying to conceive. Such incredible fertility support for both genders with the abundance of zinc and B vitamins.

An ice cream machine. If you’ve ever been disappointed with how poor the ingredients are in most supermarket ice creams, you should make your own. You deserve to eat ice cream without gums and stabilizers. Use real cream, good quality egg yolks and go crazy with real fruit and raw honey! Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over your home-made scoop as well. You can just do things.

Beautiful things that last elevate life itself

Nice dessert spoons. Real ice cream hits differently with a beautiful spoon in hand.

Stainless steel coupes. For your Sunday affogatos! They stay ice cold and look beautiful. They also don’t break the bank and last you a lifetime.

Quality glassware. You drink water every single day! Why not drink out of a beautiful vessel?

Heirloom fine china. The kind you actually use!! Not the kind you hide in a cabinet for a “special day” that never comes. Remember, beautiful things are meant to be lived with.

Linen cocktail napkins. I’m a sucker for gorgeous linen cocktail napkins, especially the ones that are embroidered beautifully. It’s such a nice touch to bring out when you have guests over.

All-Clad stainless steel (or any good quality pan). Truly something you buy for generations and I’m not even exaggerating. A good pan is one of the best things you can buy for your kitchen. Go ahead and get a set if you’re buying for a new home you’re in!

A black walnut end grain cutting board. A quality wooden end grain board speaks for itself. It’s gentle on your knives and you won’t be shedding any microplastics into your food.

Japanese knives. A properly constructed knife is one of the best investments you can make, especially when you’re starting out in the kitchen. A dull knife is also incredibly dangerous! Japanese knives will never fail you. For a full guide, read this:

A wooden pepper mill. Freshly ground pepper makes a huge difference! Never use it pre-ground. Crack it fresh over the plate with a beautiful pepper mill.

A proper butter dish. You need a dedicated home for your butter, soft and ready to be spread! You can even take this a step further and have a few butter dishes (or butter crocks) with compound butters of various flavors.

Vintage furniture. Built to last! Sometimes you’ll also be surprised at the deals you can get for quality that’s not being made anymore.

Incandescent bulbs and fancy lamps. The right light changes everything!! The rule is always many warm lights over a few bright blue lights. You never see high end hotels or restaurants with bright lights at night. It’s always a warm amber and there’s a reason for that.

A marble vide-poche. A little marble dish catch-all by the door for your keys, wired earpods and your everyday essentials.

Beeswax candles. Never burn toxic modern candles. Always opt for beeswax when you can!

Vintage magazines. There’s so much gold to be found in old magazines. If you’re not reading a WARKITCHEN, the next best thing is to find some old magazines that transport you to another world. Doomreading > doomscrolling.

Clothes made with natural materials. Linen, wool, cotton, silk, leather. They breathe, they age beautifully, and they aren’t bad for your hormones like how polyester is (especially the recycled stuff).

Blake stitched penny loafers. They say you should never skimp on footwear and there’s a reason for that. Well constructed penny loafers are always worth the money you spend on them. Sneakers are out anyway. It’s a penny loafers summer.

Great pens. Writing by hand is one of life’s simple pleasures! Why not get a pen that adds to that experience? A pen that encourages you to put your phone down and empty your thoughts on a piece of paper.

Books. You must always have time for good books. Fiction. Non-fiction. You never know the ideas you might come across just from reading.

Tennis rackets. I’ve been obsessed with tennis lately and I have to say a great racket is a marvelous investment! This goes for just about any hobby you have - especially ones that get you outside and social. Always worth spending money on great tools that elevate the experience, if you can, of course.

Anything that patinas. The best things you can buy are the ones that get better with age. Cutting boards that look better with age. A stainless steel pan that develops a natural non-stick surface. Even a leather phone case that gets more beautiful!

In a world obsessed with cheap, disposable, new things, go beyond and get the real thing that lasts for years, even generations sometimes. Surround yourself with beautiful things that last. What else would you add to this list?

England’s greatest desserts

What are your favorite English desserts?

Seasonal produce for Summer

This might just be the greatest season for produce. What have you enjoyed the most so far?

Spain’s greatest desserts

Congratulations to the best team in the world 🇪🇸 home of some incredible desserts 🤩

❋ Plum and Tarragon Cobbler by

“One of the few fruits I could be convinced to eat when I was younger were plums. I still have a fondness for them, especially when roasted, turned into jam or baked into cakes, and desserts. They’re not the most glamorous or exciting fruit out there and are a little underrated but I love them all the same.

We’re continuing on in the season of cosy baking and as much as I love and champion a fully beige pudding, this week, I’m leaning heavily into the fruity, more colourful side of things with a hearty plum & tarragon cobbler. A cobbler sits somewhere in the middle between a pie and a crumble and it always hits the spot for me when I fancy a topping that’s a bit richer and more substantial. This particular recipe is from my cookbook, I’ll Bring Dessert, so some of you might have made it already.

Fresh tarragon is blitzed with sugar and tossed over the plums for a fragrant addition that brightens everything up. Give it a go this weekend and serve it in a big bowl half drowning in hot custard whilst curled up on the sofa.” —

❋ How to Grow Hibiscus (a.k.a. Roselle, Hibiscus sabdariffa)

“There are many different kinds of hibiscus that you might be familiar with as garden plants. The most memorable, perhaps, are the ornamental ones that make large, vibrant blooms reminiscent of tropical vacations. My parents had them planted in our garden when I was young and I find them so appealing and nostalgic. The hibiscus I am discussing today, though, is the Hibiscus sabdariffa species, which produces small, cream-colored flowers with red calyces that swell up into candy-like delicacies when pollinated.

It is these calyces that are harvested in the herbal tradition to make delicious, tart-flavored, bright red teas. In some parts of the world, this plant is called roselle and the tea is there called roselle tea. The herb is often paired with herbs like hawthorn and linden to create tasty herbal tea blends that can help support the health of the cardiovascular system.”

❋ A Whimsical Peach Galette (Shaped Like a Fish) by

“I came across a photo of a fish-shaped galette on Pinterest & had to try it. With stone fruit season in full swing and a Peaches & Cream Olipop in hand, it felt like the perfect afternoon project. I layered the peaches to mimic fish scales— starting from the tail and working up— & she came out golden, puffed, & just the right amount of charming.🥰

It’s simple, summery, & a little bit special. Best enjoyed with a breeze, a cold drink, & absolutely no rush. 🙂‍↔️” —

❋ Fig Leaf Syrup

“Fig Leaf Syrup is an enchanting simple syrup infused with fresh fig leaves, bringing flavor notes of coconut & vanilla. A simple way to make use of an often overlooked ingredient.

I spent way too much of my life not knowing that fig leaves are edible. Now, I make a batch of Fig Leaf Syrup every summer. The flavor of fig leaves is unlike anything else I’ve tasted. They’re definitely reminiscent of fresh figs, but with a hint of coconut and vanilla mixed in. It’s absolutely delightful.

Fig leaf simple syrup can be used in cocktails, mocktails, and all kinds of desserts. I’ve used it to drizzle over fig tarts, sweeten baked goods, add depth of flavor to seasonal cocktails, and add sweetness to homemade lemonade.

Read on to discover more about how to select your fig leaves, tips for making this syrup, and all the wonderful ways to put it to use.”

❋ Roman Rice-stuffed Tomatoes (Pomodori al Riso)

“Roman Rice Stuffed Tomatoes, also known as Pomodori al Riso, are a delicious vegetarian dish perfect for summer. This classic recipe is a staple of Italian, especially Roman, cuisine.

To make this dish, you need large, round tomatoes that are ripe but still firm. Tomatoes ripened in the summer sun are especially flavorful and fragrant.

Pomodori al Riso can be enjoyed either lukewarm or cold, making it a versatile summer dish. It can serve as a colorful and healthy main course or an appetizer, bursting with Mediterranean flavors.”

❋ July Meal Shortcuts by

“I’ve never been a meal-prepper, I like following my cravings and intuition on what I want to eat, and that’s hard to plan five days out, so meal shortcuts are like little components, shortcuts, that make my life easier. They aren’t full meals, but building blocks you can use as is or get creative with to make something new.

I still love the slow & intentional version of cooking and baking, slowing the f down and being present while creating in the kitchen has become a form of meditation to me, and really a love language. But I don’t alwaysss have the time for those slow meals, which is why these shortcuts help me so much. Little pieces prepped in advance that cut out some of the work so future me can make whatever sounds good whenever the craving hits, with more ease.

I have been prepping these meal shortcuts for years now and sharing all the recipes here on substack, so I have 150+ meal shortcut recipes in my archive if you are ever looking for more to prep!!” —

❋ Roasted Strawberries with Crème Fraîche and Flake Sea Salt

“Strawberries may signal spring in many parts of the world but in France—from slightly tart Gariguettes to deeply floral Mara des Bois to the sweet, bright red Cléry—each variety is a celebration. Variety-aside, choose strawberries by their vibrancy and fragrance and, if the seller is willing, their taste. In prime season, buy one more pint than you need, eat immediately, and consider each bite a reward for making it through winter. Roast the rest.”

Rebuild your IG Algorithm (more fun links):

❋ Chilled Cherry Rice Pudding

❋ Making Orecchiette

❋ Italian sandwich chip bag

❋ Basil harvest pro tip

❋ Hot dog terms to know

❋ I hate coasters

❋ Why pomegranate inspires

❋ Fold-out vintage magazine ads

❋ Key limes are tiny!

Have an amazing week! Issue 42 (a tribute to sandwiches) out soon :)
— Rocky

Share

❋ All our digital issues are free to peruse. Explore our latest:

❋ Winter 25/26 Coffee Table Book (Print)

❋ Explore the full WARKITCHEN archive here.

❋ Joga Bonito Spotify Playlist

❋ Got an article or recipe in mind? We’d love to hear more! Please send your pitch to rocky@warkitchen.net.

It’s been a beautiful July. Peak summer means some of the best fruits in the world are in season. Grapes are so back. Peaches are perfect. Watermelons are at their sweetest. Blueberries are everywhere!! And figs are slowly arriving. It’s that time of the year where snacking on sun-kissed fruit is one of the most productive things you can do (trust me).

Here are some of our favorite fruits for July!

Late Season (Get Them Now)

Strawberries

How to choose? Same rules as always. Look for deep red without any white shoulders. The smaller ones also tend to be sweeter! If you’ve been wanting to make a strawberry based dessert for the longest time July is the month to do it, they won’t taste any sweeter for the rest of the year.

How to use? If you haven’t made that strawberry-rhubarb jam yet, you should! You could also freeze some strawberries at the end of the month for smoothies you can make when fall arrives.

Cherries

How to choose? We covered cherries in June and the same rules apply. Always glossy with firm, green stems. If you see great Bings or Rainiers at your farmers market, it’s a sign to get a dozen or two!

How to use? You can make cherry preserves or bake that clafoutis we linked last month. Truly the last great month of beautiful cherries!

Apricots

How to choose? California’s apricot season is winding down. The good news is that late-season apricots are often the sweetest because they’ve had the most time on the tree. Look for deep orange with a blush, very fragrant, slightly soft.

How to use? These late-season ones are perfect for eating raw. But if you end up with a lot, apricot jam is one of the best preserves you can make and it’s a beautiful way to capture the last of the season. Halve them, pit them, simmer with a little sugar and lemon juice. That’s it.

Peak Season (Tastes the Best)

Peaches

How to choose? THIS IS THE MONTH!! July peaches from California, Georgia, South Carolina are the real deal. Look for a deep golden color with red blush. They should smell incredible from a good distance away hehe.

How to use? Raw, obviously. With the juice running down your chin. You can also grill peach halves and serve with vanilla ice cream, slice over burrata with basil and good extra virgin olive oil, or bake the best peach cobbler of your life!

Nectarines

How to choose? Everything we said about peaches applies here :) Deep red-orange color, incredible fragrance, a very slight give when pressed. Nectarines are firmer than peaches which makes them slightly easier to work with in the kitchen.

How to use? Nectarines really come into their own in salads! Slice over arugula with goat cheese, toasted almonds / pine nuts, and a simple vinaigrette. They hold their shape better than peaches so they won’t turn to mush on the plate. Also incredible grilled!

Watermelon

How to choose? July watermelon is peak watermelon. Look for that creamy yellow field spot on the bottom (the deeper the yellow, the sweeter). It should feel heavy for its size and sound hollow when you tap it.

How to use? Alwayssss cold. From the fridge. In wedges. On a hot day. Don’t forget to eat the rind as well. If you want to get fancy, pair it with some feta, fresh mint, and even a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (trust me on this one). You can also make watermelon ice cream really easily with this recipe.

Blueberries

How to choose? July is literally National Blueberry Month for a reason. They’re everywhere right now and the quality is incredible! Always choose the ones that are firm, plump with a deep blue. Avoid containers with crushed ones at the bottom. For blueberries, try to go organic as much as you can :)

How to use? By the handful. Nobody ever eats just one blueberry. You can also take the opportunity to freeze them in bulk to use in smoothies or any ice cream that you make.

Also, do you know why blueberries bleed purple? This is really interesting.

Raspberries

How to choose? Absolute peak production in July! However, they’re known to be the most fragile berry so eat them fast.

How to use? Fresh by the handful. Folded into full fat yogurt with raw honey. Raspberries are also incredible with dark chocolate (we said this in June and we’ll say it again because it’s that good hehe).

Blackberries

How to choose? These have gone from the slightly bitter early-season ones in June to fully ripe, deeply sweet July blackberries! Plump, uniformly dark, slight sheen. Zero red anywhere.

How to use? July blackberries are sweet enough to eat completely fresh without any additions. But blackberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream is genuinely one of the best summer desserts on earth. You can also muddle them into lemonade for something really special.

Plums

How to choose? Remember how we said June plums were best cooked because they were still early? July plums are slightly different! They’re fully ripe, juicy, and sweet enough to eat raw. Look for that natural waxy bloom on the skin and a slight give when pressed.

How to use? Eat them fresh! July is when plums really earn their place. Santa Rosa plums especially are incredible right now. You can also slice them into salads, roast with cinnamon and honey, or make plum compote for yogurt.

Mangoes

How to choose? Both Haden and Ataulfo mangoes are at full peak right now. Hadens: look for a slight give and sweet fragrance at the stem end. Ataulfos: deep golden yellow, no green, slight wrinkles are fine. If they smell incredible, they’re ready.

How to use? We stand by what we said in June: eat Ataulfos raw. The texture is too perfect to mess with. Hadens are great for mango salsa, smoothies, and anything where you want a more tropical, fibrous mango experience. If you haven’t made mango sticky rice yet this summer, July is the month.

Pineapple

How to choose? Still going strong in July! Heavy, golden-yellow, leaves pull out with a gentle tug. Same rules as always.

How to use? July is when grilled pineapple really shines :) High heat, thick rings, caramelized edges. Serve alongside grilled fish, over ice cream, or with your afternoon affogato. In summer I always enjoy pairing something warm with something cold - consume immediately though!

Papaya

How to choose? Look for papayas turning from green to golden-yellow with a gentle fragrance. Skin should be slightly soft to the touch. Avoid anything with sunken spots.

How to use? Half it, seed it, squeeze lime!! We’ve been saying this since April and we’ll keep saying it because it genuinely transforms papaya.

Hass Avocado

How to choose? California Hass avocados are at full peak and should be both cheap and incredible right now. Dark green to black skin with a slight give for eating today. Firmer and greener for later in the week.

How to use? If you can find great avocados this month, guacamole is a no-brainer! Fresh lime, cilantro, diced serrano, sea salt. July guac with fresh tortilla chips is one of the great simple pleasures of summer.

Early Season (Just Arriving)

Figs

How to choose? The first figs of the season are arriving! Black Mission figs should be deep purple and soft. Brown Turkey figs are lighter in color. Both should feel heavy and have a sweet fragrance. A small crack near the bottom is actually a sign they’re perfectly ripe.

How to use? Figs with burrata, raw honey, and flaky sea salt is one of the most elegant things you can put on a plate. Also incredible wrapped in prosciutto or simply eaten on its own! I have to say I do love Bonne Maman’s fig preserve, you could try making something of your own if you’d like to as well!

Dragon Fruit

How to choose? Dragon fruit is a new addition to our list! Look for bright pink skin with minimal browning. The “scales” should be green and vibrant, not dried out. It should give very slightly when pressed. Heavier is better.

How to use? Cut in half and scoop the flesh with a spoon. The flavor is mild and refreshing with a kiwi-like texture from the tiny black seeds. Absolutely incredible in smoothie bowls (that natural pink color is unreal) or cubed into tropical fruit salads (if you can find those yellow dragon fruits they’re out of this world!!).

Apples

How to choose? This might surprise people but early apple varieties start arriving in late July! Gravenstein and Lodi apples are the first of the season. Look for firm, crisp apples with bright color. These early varieties are slightly more tart than the fall apples you’re used to.

How to use? Early apples are incredible for cooking! They’re tart enough to make a beautiful pie or apple sauce without being too sweet. Gravenstein apples especially are prized by bakers. If you like tart fruit, eat them fresh too. They’re a preview of the incredible apple season coming in September and October.

Grapes

How to choose? Table grapes are starting to appear! Look for firm, plump grapes with flexible green stems. If stems are brown and brittle, they’ve been sitting around too long. Cotton Candy grapes (yes, they really taste like cotton candy) are the best for summer if you can find them.

How to use? Frozen grapes are the ultimate summer snack and I will die on this hill. Throw a bunch in the freezer for an hour. They become these incredible little sorbet bites hehe. You can also enjoy them raw or with ricotta and a drizzle of honey.

A quick note for international friends

Again, this list is built around the North American calendar (mostly California, Georgia, Florida, and Mexican imports).

If you’re in Australia or New Zealand, July is your deep winter! Right now you’re in peak citrus season (mandarins, navel oranges, blood oranges, lemons). Apples and pears are at their best storage quality. Kiwi is abundant. It’s also avocado season for you.

If you’re in the tropics, you’re in peak tropical fruit season. Durian (there’s even a durian price crash in certain places), mangosteen, rambutan, longans, and lychees are all going strong. Mangoes are everywhere!

If you’re in the UK or Europe, your calendar runs about 2-3 weeks behind North America. British strawberries are at peak right now (Wimbledon season!! - congrats Jannik). Cherries, gooseberries, currants, and the first stone fruits are arriving. English summer is short but the produce is incredible when it lands.

What are you most excited about this July?

Little announcement: WK Weekly will now go out as it once did on the weekends (happy affogato Sunday) & Issue 42 is imminent! Thank you so much for your support 🤍

Real menus > QR codes

The people yearn for real menus

America’s greatest desserts

God bless America and all the beautiful dessert she’s made 🇺🇸

We started a book club!

So we started a book club!! Join here :)

❋ Malted Pancakes with Maple Praline Syrup

“Inspired by Sunday in Brooklyn pancakes, the recent trend in the pancake world of fluffy thick stacks, these Malted Pancakes are light, fluffy, and oversized. It is optional to top them with the maple praline syrup, but of course, that is what I recommend. You can also top with a honey butter or even citrus if you aren’t looking to go the decadent praline route!”

❋ Apricot & Chamomile Tarts by

“The nice thing about making fruit tarts is that once you have the basics down, you can customise them to your heart’s content. Last year I chatted all about herb infusions in fruit tarts in this post so this year I thought I’d switch it up and use a tea infusion instead.”

❋ The anatomy of the penny loafer by

“Over the past 80 years, Weejuns were adopted by almost every subculture going, from the mods of the 1950s to the British Rude Boys of the 70s and the Italian Paninari of the 80s, with each group blending the Weejuns seamlessly into their highly defined style.

That’s not an accident. It’s a function of the shoe’s design. Weejuns don’t announce themselves. It doesn’t have a logo on the side or a distinctive silhouette that reads as belonging to one specific world. It’s a clean, uncluttered shoe that carries whatever energy the person wearing it brings to it.

That’s why JFK could wear it to project effortless American authority and Michael Jackson could open the Thriller video in a pair of black Weejuns and both felt completely right.” —

❋ Skip the Drive-Thru: 2 Popular Iced Matcha Drinks to Make at Home by

“For those who haven’t had matcha, the Japanese tea, it is a beautiful green tea made from special shade-grown tea leaves. The growing process causes the tea plant to produce extra chlorophyll. Think back to junior high science class, and you’ll remember that it is the element that makes things super duper green. The chlorophyll also adds more antioxidants to the tea.

Matcha drinks have become very popular in the last decade after folks discovered the potential health benefits and lower caffeine level of this tea. Today, we’re ditching the cafe line and making delicious matcha lattes at home!” —

❋ House-made soft serve is Toronto’s trendiest dessert right now

“No one is safe from summer’s siren song: the ice cream truck jingle. But the city’s restaurants have stepped up their soft serve game so much in the past couple of years that Mister Softee’s appeal is waning. Here are some of our favourite fancy house-made spirals.”

❋ 10 summer staples I return to every year by

“Summer is my favorite eating season, and it’s not even close. By the time June rolls around, I’m already thinking about all the food and beverages I get to enjoy over the next several months. Sweet corn. Watermelon. Peaches that drip down your arm. Ice-cold, refreshing cocktails on a patio. I begin mentally planning barbecue parties, no-cook dishes, and as much outside dining as I can possibly squeeze onto the calendar.

There are definitely moments (like in the dead of winter) when I crave endless summers. But then I remember that if peach season never ended and every evening were ideal for dining al fresco, none of it would feel nearly as special. Summer’s best foods and drinks are so memorable because they’re fleeting, and that’s exactly what makes me look forward to them every year.

As a self-proclaimed lover of lists, what follows are the ten summer food moments I’m most excited for every year. While I’m sorry to say you won’t find tomatoes on my list (I’m firmly in the “tomatoes in sauces, salsas, and ketchup, not my sandwiches and salads” camp), I do think there’s something here for everyone looking to savor the season.” —

❋ Honey Thyme Posset in Peach Cups

“This honey thyme posset is slightly floral, with thyme flavor that spread out softly, and the fresh peach pairs perfectly. It’s one of those fresh peach desserts that is visually stunning but is so easy to whip up, it’s perfect summer desserts while peaches are in season!”

Rebuild your IG Algorithm (more fun links):

❋ Books for Athletes

❋ Grilled Branzino summer

❋ Healthy swaps for your home by

❋ What I buy vs what I cook

❋ La Maison du Pastel, the world’s oldest pastel maker

❋ Best gelato in Italy?

❋ On lime wedges

❋ Foods to eat during the heatwave

❋ Crispy asparagus fritti, lemon anchovy aioli, and a very cold dirty martini

Hope you had an amazing weekend!
— Rocky

Share

❋ All our digital issues are free to peruse. Explore our latest:

❋ Winter 25/26 Coffee Table Book (Print)

❋ Explore the full WARKITCHEN archive here.

❋ Joga Bonito Spotify Playlist

❋ Got an article or recipe in mind? We’d love to hear more! Please send your pitch to rocky@warkitchen.net.

The World Cup is in full swing. Whether you're watching the mundial or not, this is a good time to explore some of the desserts of the world, from something common like a Basque cheesecake to a more niche, "in the know" pick like the Brazilian brigadeiro.

With Italy not being in the World Cup, we’ve missed the opportunity to include some iconic desserts in this infographic. No affogato. No tiramisu. Not even a panna cotta… Well, this just shows how absolutely goated Italy is when it comes to beautiful dessert.

That being said, here are some of the great desserts of the World Cup.

Like I mentioned earlier, a few of these you’ll recognize right away! And others you might be hearing for the first time. Either way, I hope this is an opportunity for you to try some of these desserts in your local or to even make your own this weekend!

From Brazil, we have the brigadeiro. They’re little fudgy spheres of condensed milk and cocoa, rolled in chocolate sprinkles. The original Ferrero Rocher, if you will. Every Brazilian birthday party has a stack of brigadeiros. Impossible to stop at one. Here’s an easy recipe to make some yourself.

You have to hear me out with this one. The easy answer with Argentina would have been alfajor. A sandwich held together by some dulce de leche. Absolute staple dessert. BUT, I don’t know if it’s just me but I always think of Argentina when I see Flan. I know it’s technically Spanish, but the Argentinians man… they made it theirs. They pair it so well with dulce de leche, sometimes some cream and you’re sure to find flan mixto on a multitude of menus in Buenos Aires. We talked about it a few years ago, here’s a good base recipe (link to Twitter / X post).

The Chajá from Uruguay (who are now eliminated at the time of writing) is intriguing. There’s something about desserts or cakes with a good sponge that gets me going. The chajá combines peaches, sponge, just a little whipped cream with some crumbled meringue. Absolutely glorious!

With Spain, there really was only one option if you’ve followed us for a while now. The Basque cheesecake is one of the best desserts ever made. I’ve said enough about Basque cheesecake. Make some this weekend with this recipe

If you’re like me and you loveeee shaved ice desserts, you need to make some bingsu. I know the beloved Koreans are out, Son Heung-min issued a public apology, their coach got heckled at Incheon International Airport, but that should not stop you from making some cool, beautiful bingsu this summer. If you have mango on hand (you should), this is a great recipe to follow.

Türkiye gives us baklava. If you’re craving pistachio but still want something sweet, you need good baklava. The best ones are cut into tiny pieces, not oily, and they give you the best crunch when you take that first bite. I love having a good (tiny) slice of baklava with some Turkish coffee. A must have pairing if you’re ever in Istanbul!

Portugal gives us the pastel de nata. Some people are surprised when you tell them the pastel de nata is Portuguese. It’s so iconic in various parts of the globe and to me the beauty is in its simplicity. All it is is a warm egg custard pastry, really with the top beautifully caramelized for that texture we all love and crave. Legend says monks in Lisbon were making these guys a few hundred years ago for a good way to use leftover egg yolks (back then they used a lot of egg whites to starch their clothes!). Always enjoy them warm, never have just one.

With Austria we have the iconic Sachertorte - one of my favorite chocolate cakes in the world. See, I’m not the biggest fan of chocolate. A lot of the time it’s just too much. It leaves you feeling all sluggish after. But oh God a good slice of Sachertorte will lift your spirits. Just a tiny slice! The apricot aftertaste… It’s incredible. Did you know? The Viennese love it so much they fought an actual lawsuit over who could call theirs the original. Always served with a spoonful of unsweetened cream. This is a great recipe if you’d like to make some this week.

And Iran? Bastani sonnati. Some say the most underrated ice cream flavor in the world. Saffron. Rosewater. Pistachios. I haven’t tried it yet but I’m sure when I do it’s going on the A tier. One of the oldest ice creams on the planet!!

P.S. Issue 42 has been slightly delayed! You can expect it in about a week, thank you all for your submissions :)

There’s electricity in a city

What's your favorite city in the world?

It’s ice cream season

What's your favorite summer ice cream?

The most beautiful sport

Tennis is the most beautiful sport in the world. Read our Wimbledon Issue from last year’s edition to get yourself in the mood for the most aesthetic tournament ever. Link in bio. No paywall. Completely free to read. Enjoy 🎾🥂

❋ Classic Italian Spritz

“If you’ve ever been in Italy in the early evening, you’ve probably seen people gathered at little tables outside, sipping something orange and bubbly. That’s aperitivo, and a classic Italian Spritz is one of the drinks you’ll see most often. It’s what people order when they want to slow down, catch up with friends, and enjoy a few salty snacks like olives or chips before dinner.

The whole point is to keep it light and refreshing, with just enough bitterness to wake up your appetite without feeling heavy. The prosecco brings the bubbles, Aperol or Campari adds that bittersweet kick, and a splash of soda keeps it easy to drink. Add ice and a slice of orange, and you have a simple Italian cocktail that tastes like summer in a glass.”

❋ Black Sesame Banana Bread with Cassava Flour

“Most of my recipes are created because I need to use up random ingredients from client shoots. I happen to have 2 super ripe bananas and I thought it would good to experiment with some cassava flour. It was an experiment gone right. Because this was a totally unplanned post, I don’t have any process shots to show you. However I still wanted to share because this is a blog and blogs started out being just sharing what we wanted to share. Today it’s this banana bread.”

❋ New Definition of Rich in 2026 by

“If you explain that to people in retirement age, they will look at you like you’re insane. In their world it was all about how many people you managed and who you knew. It had nothing to do with being Sovereign. Being sovereign is the present and future.

High Income W-2: Intuitively they know this. If you talk to a person making good money in a W-2 (say $500,000, higher up middle aged), they will say they don’t feel rich. It’s because of the above mechanisms: 1) they are time poor - best hours of day go to the Company, 2) at that level you’re always on and expected to respond to messages, 3) you can’t choose where you live - location poor, 4) negative health impacts and 5) limited friends/family as a percent of your daily hours

In a nutshell? They are lifestyle poor.

Don’t be the meme!” —

❋ Matcha Ice Cream by

“Was craving a matcha affogato. Made myself a matcha affogato with this ice cream (and a decaf shot of espresso). It’s incredibly creamy and smooth with a lovely hit of grassy bitterness from the matcha powder. Nothing better on a hot summer day!” —

❋ Extra Tart Lemonade by

“Hi friends! Happy official summer. Today I’m coming to you with a list of some of my June favorites and lemonade recipe. It’s your duty to make homemade lemonade at least 5 times this summer. There’s really nothing better. And maybe while you’re at it batch some iced tea so you can stretch the lemonade even further with Arnold Palmers.

If you don’t have a favorite homemade lemonade ratio, not to worry, I got you covered. Most lemonades have a 3 to 1 or even 4 to 1 ratio of water to lemon juice…. but my ideal equation is 2 parts water to 1 part lemon juice. Which makes it quite tart. Cheek puckering-ly tart. But that is my ideal lemonade!!! Extra tarte, not toooo sweet, and poured into a glass filled to the brim with ice.

I insist you freshly squeeze the lemons for the juice, homemade lemonade isn’t worth it with the store bought crap. To make the simple syrup, combine 1 cup of white sugar with 1 cup of water in a small sauce pan. Simmer, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Cool and store in a covered container for 2 to 3 weeks in the fridge (makes enough for two batches of lemonade).” —

❋ Easy Red Candied Cherries

“Making candied cherries is a great way to preserve the abundance of summer cherries! They are super easy to make and great as a topping on ice cream, cakes, pies and even pancakes and waffles!

When cherries are on sale for $1.99 a pound, it’s time to buy ALL the cherries. But when you buy all the cherries, you have to use them all too.

Enter these super awesome red candied cherries. I mean, these babies are good on everything....ice cream, cakes, pies, BROWNIES, pancakes, waffles....all the stuff!”

❋ An esoteric guide to neuroplasticity (up-ward spiralling) by

“I have been overcome with a lucious, bright, overflow of gorgous optimisim and energy recently. I attribute it to 2. things: 1. moving into the countryside and 2. relaxing about everything.

There was a distinct moment (approximately 2 weeks ago) where I realised the tension held in my body, has also been sneakily living in the shadows of my mind. It was festering there and spiralling me downward. A lot of ‘taking things personally’, ‘overthinking interactions and decisions’, just generally exhausting myself with constant subjucation. And honestly? Loser behaviour!!!!! I totallyyyyy fell of. The internal light that I had so consciously nurtured through months of meditation was slipping down the drain of despair and peril!!!!” —

Rebuild your IG Algorithm (more fun links):

❋ Oysters in NYC

❋ Why don’t trees get sunburnt?

❋ Stuffed Zucchini with Yogurt Sauce

❋ Banana Bread Tiramisu

❋ Ketchup Ice Cream

❋ Summer Banana Pops

❋ Plating Principles

❋ Four different varieties of seeded watermelon

❋ Golden kiwi vs Green kiwi

Have an amazing week!
— Rocky

Share

❋ All our digital issues are free to peruse. Explore our latest:

❋ Winter 25/26 Coffee Table Book (Print)

❋ Explore the full WARKITCHEN archive here.

❋ Joga Bonito Spotify Playlist

❋ Got an article or recipe in mind? We’d love to hear more! Please send your pitch to rocky@warkitchen.net.

The mango is not just one thing. There’s an entire world of mangoes out there. When we first posted this mango infographic of course we got bombarded with comments saying we either misappropriated the country or left out a really good mango! First of all, apologies if we missed your favorite mango or got anything wrong! We always do these in the spirit of fun and curiosity :)

The point of all this is to let you know of the many wonderful mangoes that exist and their best use cases. Alphonso for kulfi. Carabao for graham. Nam Dok Mai for sticky rice. Ataulfo for raw snacking. In today’s WK Weekly, we’ll go through some of these iconic mangoes.

The Alphonso is what people mean when they say “mango” in much of the world. India calls it the King of Mangoes and I have no qualms about it. It tastes like honey. There’s very little fiber and it’s so good to enjoy raw! There’s a reason they get really expensive when in peak mango season.

Pakistan’s Chaunsa is really popular too, being given the name “Fruit from Paradise”. It’s really sweet, has a light citrus note and you’re always going to have mango juice running down your wrist when you have a Chaunsa.

The Dasheri is also North Indian having been cultivated for hundreds of years. It’s smooth, tender and beautifully fragrant!

I would say that these three mango varieties are the main core of the mango world and were exported across the planet over the past hundreds and thousands of years.

The Nam Dok Mai is the pride of Thailand. Almost every proper mango sticky rice is made with this variety! It has a very distinct slim teardrop shape and is usually a beautiful golden yellow. If you’ve visited Bangkok, you’ll definitely have eaten some Nam Dok Mai (even if you don’t remember it).

The Carabao is the Philippines' national fruit and once held a Guinness World Record (1995) for sweetest mango! It’s really creamy, and the fact that it’s so sweet is why a majority of dried mango is actually made from Carabao. Filipinos also turn this into mango graham float (admittedly I haven’t tried this so let me know if it’s good!).

Australia’s national mango is the Kensington Pride. What a beautiful name for a mango variety. It’s sweet, juicy and looks beautiful with the pink-rose blush on its skin.

The Americas have an embarrassment of mango varieties, mostly because Florida and Mexico became mango breeding grounds in the 20th century. Most of what you see in Western supermarkets comes from this corner of the world!

The Ataulfo is the one many people know of. It’s Mexican and usually marketed as the “champagne mango”. Rich, buttery, smooth and almost fiberless. They’re small and easy to hold in your hands, kidney-shaped and regularly sold in boxes of six or eight.

The Haden is the genetic “parent” of many modern Florida mangoes! It has that iconic red blush with golden flesh.

The Tommy Atkins is the most widely traded mango in the world! Robust, fibrous with mild sweetness. It’s the standard supermarket mango.

The Kent is rich, sweet, tangy and fiberless. If you find Kent at a market, buy it!

The Keitt is the one mango that stays green even when it’s fully ripe. It’s known for its size more than anything (some of these get really huge).

The Carrie is the cult favorite! Small but intense in flavor.

The Red Super Julie is an American variety bred in South Florida. It’s a descendant of the classic Julie mango from the Caribbean (a staple in Jamaica and Trinidad for generations). Growers in Florida took the best flavor traits of the original Julie and improved on its growing characteristics. Bright colorful skin and exceptional sweetness. Worth trying if you can find one!

The Valencia Pride is prized for being spectacularly large and is usually really colorful!

The Francis is Haitian. Green skin with a red blush and soft sweet flesh! Some say it also gives you a hint of spice.

Mango Sticky Rice

If you’ve only ever enjoyed mangoes raw, I challenge you to try making some mango sticky rice! While so many mango sticky rice recipes read incredibly detailed and intimidating, this one I found from Modern Honey is so good! I’ve adapted it for you below:

Ingredients

• 1 cup Thai glutinous rice

• 1 can full-fat coconut milk (about 13 oz)

• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp sugar, divided

• Pinch of sea salt

• 1/2 tsp cornstarch (optional)

• 1 ripe mango (Nam Dok Mai if you can find one, otherwise Carabao or Ataulfo)

• Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Method

1. Rinse
   Put the rice in a bowl and rinse 6 or 7 times in cold water, until the water runs clear instead of milky. Drain. This pulls off the surface starch so the rice cooks clean.

2. Cook
   Add the rice, 1/2 cup of the coconut milk, 1 cup water, 1/4 cup sugar, and a pinch of salt to your rice cooker. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed. Most recipes call for the rice to be soaked in water for at least 8 hours (which you can absolutely do) but we are skipping that step and going straight to the cooking. Also, traditional mango sticky rice recipes call for steaming the rice instead of directly cooking it on a stovetop or in a rice cooker. I found that I can get a similar texture by cooking in a rice cooker. Just don't overcook the rice.

3. Make the sauce
   Warm the remaining coconut milk in a small saucepan over low heat with the remaining 2 tbsp sugar. As it begins to bubble, whisk in the cornstarch to thicken slightly. If not using cornstarch, simply let the sauce simmer for longer to thicken. Either way, keep whisking for the smoothest finish. Set aside to cool.

4. Slice the mango
   Peel the mango and slice along either side of the central pit. Lay the cheeks flat and cut into long even pieces (get as aesthetic as you want to!).

5. Plate
   Spoon the warm sticky rice onto a plate. Generously drizzle with coconut cream sauce. Lay the mango slices alongside. Scatter sesame seeds across the top. Serve right away. The rice should be warm, the mango cool against it.

Everything is better in pairs

Snack on watermelon with some feta. Slice runny yolk over perfectly toasted sourdough. Soak your dates in espresso. Make summer bruschetta. Enjoy a Sunday affogato. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over ice cream (trust me on this one). Watch Wimbledon with homemade strawberries & cream. Everything is better in pairs 🤍

Sourdough is the best vehicle for nourishment

These are the many ways to enjoy a slice of sourdough. What did we miss?

You were put on this planet to create beautiful things

This world belongs to the dreamers

❋ Sensational Garlic Ice Cream inspired by The Gilroy Garlic Festival

“Garlic ice cream may seem like a weird flavor combination, but it is actually so delicious it’s famous! Garlic ice cream has a nice, sweet flavor but with just a hint of garlic. Roasting the garlic ensures the garlic has an overall sweeter flavor note than fresh garlic which we think is perfect for this homemade ice cream recipe.”

❋ Nobody Is Coming to Make Your Life Interesting by

“A man who has owned something beautiful thinks differently about beauty. A man who has taken a real financial risk thinks differently about money. A man who has built something from nothing, even small, even imperfect, thinks differently about what’s possible. These experiences change the hardware. And hardware is what other people are actually responding to when they find someone compelling.

You cannot read your way to that. You cannot optimize your way to it. You have to go acquire the experiences on your own terms, which means building a life that looks like you — not like the idealized output of someone else’s morning routine.” —

❋ Easy Sourdough Discard Crackers Recipe (Optional Cheese or Herbs)

“Looking for ways to use sourdough starter discard? Come learn how to make delectable, crispy, savory crackers with our easy sourdough discard crackers recipe, including step-by-step photos. You can bake the crackers the same day, let the dough sit overnight, or use active starter if you wish.

This sourdough discard crackers recipe is very flexible so you can easily customize them to your liking. Keep the crackers plain, or add in optional herbs, cheese or other seasonings. I’ve included a list of some of my favorite add-ins, as well as tips on how to make your sourdough discard crackers extra crispy. Have fun experimenting, and happy snacking!”

❋ The Keto Burger Bun That Works by

“One of the biggest challenges with keto cooking is bread. Most low-carb breads either taste like eggs, crumble apart when you bite into them, or require a shopping list full of ingredients that sound more like a chemistry experiment than food.

This recipe is different.

I stumbled onto this simple keto bun while experimenting in the kitchen, looking for something sturdy enough to hold a burger but light enough to feel like real bread. The result is a savory, cheesy bun that rises beautifully, develops a golden crust, and makes the perfect vehicle for sliders, breakfast sandwiches, or even a simple pat of butter.

The best part? It only takes a handful of ingredients.” —

❋ Summer Solstice Rituals by

“I am so excited for summer….the time of year when we have the maximum amount of sunshine & daylight, and with that comes more energy, more zest, more time for playfulness. Summer is a season of release, rejuvenation, a time to let go and be free, to take life less seriously and reconnect with your inner child—frolick in the grass, roll in the sand, play mermaids in the ocean, stargaze, gather with community, belly laugh and spend hours giggling.

I saw this quote from that beautifully encapsulated my thoughts, “The truth is most people don’t need to chase the next trendy biohack. They don’t need excessive supplement stacks or fancy health tools. Most people can find profound joy and healing by going back to doing the things they loved when they were younger.” For some reason to me, summer is the season where I can most easily reconnect with my younger self and the magic of life.” —

❋ Bakery-Style Peach Cobbler Cream Cheese Muffins by

“These Bakery-Style Peach Cobbler Cream Cheese Muffins are soft, fluffy, and perfectly tender with a bright and sweet peach flavor that is absolutely perfect for the middle of summer. Tucked inside every single bite is a rich and tangy cream cheese center that melts beautifully into the muffin as it bakes for the most indulgent and delicious surprise in every bite. Finished with a buttery crumb topping that adds the most incredible crunch — served warm with a hot cup of coffee, these muffins are the best summer treat you'll want to make on repeat!”

❋ The 5 Types of Love by

“Eros is arguably the most misunderstood type of love. Because of its connection to the word “erotic”, it’s far too easy to simply write of eros as mere lust — but this is a colossal mistake.

Our sister publication The Ascent shared a comprehensive guide to eros, covering its origins in pre-Platonic Greek thought to its role in Christianity, and why it is absolutely essential in order to know and love God.

At its heart, eros is a sort of generative energy that moves souls to action. The direction in which it pushes you, however, varies greatly depending on how you engage with it. It can either push you towards the good, true, and beautiful, or towards madness and mania.

For better and for worse, eros is a love that overcomes reason. The only question is, how will you use that to your advantage, and not your destruction?”

Rebuild your IG Algorithm (more fun links):

❋ The life cycle of a cherry

❋ How to tell if a watermelon is ripe

❋ National Geographic’s unexpected collection of silk ties

❋ The magic of ventile cotton

❋ Strawberry preserves season

❋ The most ingenious way to wrap a baguette sandwich

❋ How to keep your pickles crunchy

❋ The best ceviche recipe you’ll ever try

❋ 48 countries, 48 football foods

Have an amazing week!
— Rocky

Share

❋ All our digital issues are free to peruse. Explore our latest:

❋ Winter 25/26 Coffee Table Book (Print)

❋ Explore the full WARKITCHEN archive here.

❋ June's Spotify Playlist

❋ Got an article or recipe in mind? We’d love to hear more! Please send your pitch to rocky@warkitchen.net.

Ever since I was a kid I’ve always heard that there are certain foods you should eat if you want to be smarter. Or should I say sharper.

The mainstream has ALWAYS looked at leafy greens as the go-to “brain food”. While I’m not saying they’re absolutely useless, there are far better options than spinach if we’re looking at optimizing cognition and protecting the brain as we age.

There are foods far more powerful that exist, foods that those before us have consumed for millennia, foods that have been proven to fight against neurodegeneration.

Your brain runs every second of your life. Whatever you consume is DIRECTLY feeding your brain. Your brain is also the fattiest organ you own. Around 60% of it is fat, and a huge share of that is omega 3s. It is incredibly greedy too - the human brain is barely 2% of your body weight, yet it burns close to 20% of your energy every single day.

And it’s not this “completed product” that just runs forever. Your brain (as with the rest of your body) is constantly being rebuilt. Whatever you put on your plate is the fuel your brain cells use to build and it deserves the very best.

Get sardines on the grill. Enjoy some fresh roe. Snack on blueberries. Chew on a sprig of rosemary. Shuck oysters. Eat your organs. Sear a fatty ribeye. Down olive oil shots. The best foods for your brain are often the most simple! Real food. No seed oils.

Here are some of my favorite brain foods that deserve a little shoutout:

Oysters
The single densest source of zinc on the planet. Just two or three of them cover your zinc RDA. Zinc is crucial for memory, mood and testosterone production. Oysters are best enjoyed raw with a squeeze of lemon.

Wild Salmon
Never farmed, always wild. On top of good omega 3s, wild salmon is known to have the antioxidant astaxanthin which carries benefits not just for your cognition but your eyes, immune system and overall wellbeing.

Blueberries
This is one example where hype actually meets reality. Blueberries are the most studied “brain berry” out there and there’s so much truth to it. They contain antioxidants that have been proven to reach the memory centers of the brain itself. In a series of trials, older adults with early memory decline who ate blueberries daily showed real improvements in recall. Snack on them by the handful, make compote or just stir them into yogurt.

Broccoli Sprouts
You need to be microfoods maxxing. Broccoli sprouts are the single richest source of sulforaphane, one of nature's most powerful switches for your body's own antioxidant defenses. Research shows it activates the brain's NRF2 pathway to fight the oxidative stress behind neurodegeneration. Throw a handful on eggs or salads, and you can even grow them on your counter in a few days if you’d like!

Wakame
One of the best sources of iodine you can eat! Iodine deficiency is the most common preventable cause of brain damage in the world. Your thyroid NEEDS it, and so, by extension, do your focus and your energy. Have it with miso soup or toss a quick seaweed salad.

Eggs
While egg whites have received much fanfare over the years for their protein content (as they should), we cannot forget the yolk. It’s one of the richest sources of choline which is what your body turns into acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter behind memory and learning. Cornell researchers found that when mothers get enough choline in pregnancy, their offspring "gain enduring cognitive benefits." Always eat the yolk. Always keep it runny.

Rosemary
The herb of memory. Napoleon’s favorite perfume was rosemary water, which he splashed on by the bottle. Ancient Greek students wore rosemary garlands while they studied, convinced it granted near superhuman recall. And Shakespeare’s Ophelia said it best: “there’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance.” It’s incredible how often science just ends up proving the old folklore right. Researchers at Northumbria found that simply SMELLING rosemary improved memory and focus, thanks to a compound that slows the breakdown of acetylcholine, the very same memory neurotransmitter the yolk feeds. Roast it with your potatoes, make rosemary omelettes, or baste a steak with a sprig or two and chew on it after. Miracle herb.

Beef Liver
Nature's multivitamin. Arguably the most nutrient-dense food on the planet! Just a single serving brings choline for memory, B12 for your nerves, plus vitamin A and copper. There’s a reason so many ancestral cultures prized the liver - even when they had no idea of the science behind it - saving it for pregnant women in the tribe and growing children. If you’re struggling to add liver into your diet, one way I’ve enjoyed it is by making pâté! It goes so well with sourdough and you can just have pâté on one slice while you have glorious chunks of raw butter on the other. Also a great opportunity to add roe on your eggs - truly a meal that nourishes your brain!

Roe
The most concentrated brain food in the sea! Fish eggs carry their DHA in phospholipid form, which research shows is the version your body absorbs best and the one that actually crosses into the brain. Caviar gets the glory and the fat price tag, but a humble tin of (good quality) salmon roe does the same thing. Spoon it over eggs and enjoy!

Bone Marrow
Brain food in the most literal sense! A Yale anthropologist has argued that our earliest ancestors may have grown their famously large brains by cracking open bones for the rich fat inside, long before we ever hunted big game. Marrow was concentrated fat in a fat-poor world, and your brain is built from fat. Roast the bones with freshly cracked black pepper, salt and garlic powder. Make some caramelized onions to go with if you like! Bone marrow is one of the best side dishes / appetizers ever.

Sardines
The most underrated fish in the world. Absolutely tiny (so low mercury levels) and a great source of omega 3s and vitamin D. They’re also incredibly portable - being so easy to bring around and just have a tin wherever you are. If you have time, you can always grill them and have them with good sourdough and extra virgin olive oil.

Stop worrying all the time

Worry is the misuse of imagination

Life is to be celebrated

You need to be constantly pushing affogato propaganda

❋ Salted Watermelon Ice Cream

“Nothing screams summer like slices of salted ripe watermelon, and this simple ice cream takes it to the next level. Coconut milk infuses the ice cream base with its velvety-smooth sweetness; lime provides a gentle flavor lift that subtly intensifies the juicy watermelon flavor. To salt or not to salt—that is the question, and it’s entirely up to you. If you’re skeptical, try it with crunchy flakes of Maldon sea salt; they’ll make you a believer.”

❋ The Blue Cheese Dressing That Belongs on Everything by

“There are few things more disappointing than a bottled salad dressing. Most are loaded with stabilizers, gums, excess sugar, and enough mystery ingredients to make you wonder what happened to the simple dressings we grew up with. This recipe is the opposite.

It’s light, creamy, packed with flavor, and built on real ingredients. The buttermilk keeps it bright, the sour cream adds tang, and the combination of Boursin, blue cheese, and Parmesan creates layers of richness without making the dressing overly heavy.

What I love most about this recipe is that it’s really a foundation. Not a blue cheese fan? Leave it out. Prefer sharp cheddar, goat cheese, feta, or even a little smoked gouda? Swap it in. You can simplify it, customize it, or make it your own.

Keep a jar in the refrigerator, and you’ll find yourself using it on everything from wedge salads and grilled romaine to roasted vegetables, chicken wings, sandwiches, and even as a dip for fresh vegetables.

Like most great sauces, it’s better after a few hours in the refrigerator when the flavors have a chance to come together.”

❋ Mission fig and basil compound butter

“This is my second time making compound butter. My first one was more savory—it was super delicious too! If you like compound butters, definitely try my Chive Flower Compound Butter too!

Making compound butter is so easy. It’s the perfect addition to a spread or a really beautiful way to enhance a bread basket.

THE SHAPE. When it comes to compound butters, you can form a log or an egg-like shape like I did here using cling wrap. You can absolutely use molds as well to get more intricate shapes.”

❋ A summer reading list for people who love food by

“Maybe it’s the Knicks energy. Maybe it’s this stretch of 90-degree days in NYC that’s making me feel slightly insane. But I can feel it in my bones: this is going to be an absolutely feral summer.

For the first time in a while, I’m going to be in New York for the majority of it. No major trips (besides a week in Martha’s Vineyard), no flights — just hunkering down and enjoying a proper NYC summer. And one of the things I’m most excited about is lying in a park with an iced coffee, or an Arnold Palmer, or perhaps a spritz, and reading.

I’m really writing this one for myself, because I’ve been out of my reading groove and it’s time to get back in it. A while back I asked you guys for book recommendations for “people who love to cook and eat — think memoirs by all the iconic women who’ve helped shape the food industry.” You guys had a lot to say.

Today I’m sharing all the recs we consolidated- and I’m keeping this list exclusively women, because women rock, and we all already know Anthony Bourdain is iconic and needs no inclusion :)” —

❋ Shortbread Plum Tart With Honey and Cinnamon

“Based on a classic gâteau Breton, this buttery tart is filled with a fresh plum compote flavored with honey, rosemary and cinnamon instead of the usual puréed prunes. You can make the compote and dough a few days ahead, but this tart is best served within 24 hours of baking. After that, the center starts to turn mushy from the moisture released by the fruit. Serve it on its own, or with a dollop of whipped cream.”

❋ On Summer by

“The garden needs weeding and watering and pruning. The tomatoes ought to be staked, the zucchini ought to be managed. I ought to interplant marigolds and pull the garlic and replant with lettuce. I should really take a deer leg out of the freezer, should restock the woodpile, should air out the tent. I need to get to New Hampshire and New Jersey, to here and there and everywhere in between. I really ought to get more notebooks, buy more novels — get that new pair of shoes.

This summer I have so much I want to do and I’ve already spent so much of it here, clacking from my window. This summer if I want to get anything done, I better start soon: this summer, like every summer, is almost over before it even has had a chance to begin.” —

❋ Rhubarb Frangipane Ice Cream

“Recreate a classic rhubarb frangipane tart with this homemade ice cream! We make this over two days & you’ll need an ice cream machine but the results are worth it.”

Rebuild your IG Algorithm (more fun links):

❋ A stem snobs guide to the thinnest stems Part 3

❋ 10 random facts about garlic

❋ The best bread knife is a Japanese pull saw

❋ 10 best hotels with the most stunning tennis courts

❋ Radishes dipped in herb butter

❋ Dry your own thyme

❋ Non-culinary kitchen tools that might change your life

❋ Sandwich-maxxing

❋ Perfect portion Japanese butter slicer

Have an amazing week!
— Rocky

Share

❋ All our digital issues are free to peruse. Explore our latest:

❋ Winter 25/26 Coffee Table Book (Print)

❋ Explore the full WARKITCHEN archive here.

❋ June's Spotify Playlist

❋ Got an article or recipe in mind? We’d love to hear more! Please send your pitch to rocky@warkitchen.net.

We need to rethink how we view sandwiches. They shouldn’t be a guilty pleasure. When you make a sandwich with the right ingredients, it can absolutely become a health food you can have every day. Use good quality sourdough. Fresh burrata. Build your sandwich with real meat. Nothing processed. Sauces made from scratch. No seed oils. Fresh greens. The right ratios. You can enjoy a sandwich every day, guilt-free. The sandwich is a health food.

This week, I challenge you to make a really good sandwich for yourself. You don’t have to do anything fancy. You don’t even need to follow a recipe. Look through the following sandwiches we have and simply see what ingredients you have on hand. Find sourdough baguettes for a good deal? Get extra and make bánh mì. Brought back some good kaya from Raffles Hotel on a Singapore trip? Make kaya toast. Got too much roast beef on your hands? Indulge in a French Dip.

This is a WARKITCHEN rendition of the iconic Jambon-Beurre. French sourdough baguette sliced lengthwise. Thin strips of tenderloin stuff the core. Raw truffle raclette and caramelized shallots. Fried egg with chives to finish. Served alongside broccolini and blistered cherry tomatoes. Health food.

Now, here's what each sandwich from the infographic is made of! I tried to keep these succinct and accurate, so they're descriptions, not full recipes. But if there's a particular sandwich you'd like an in-depth recipe for, let me know in the comments below and we’ll feature it in a future WARKITCHEN magazine.

French Dip: crusty bread, tender thinly sliced beef, melted cheese, and a rich savory beef broth (au jus) for dipping

Po Boy: crusty french bread, fried shrimp or oysters, shredded lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayo

Sloppy Joe: soft potato bun, saucy ground beef simmered in tangy tomato sauce

Philly Cheesesteak: long hoagie roll, thinly sliced ribeye (or sirloin, even), grilled onions and peppers, and melted cheese

Caprese: grilled bread, fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil, and a drizzle of the finest extra virgin olive oil

Katsu Sando: crustless milk bread, shredded cabbage, breaded fried pork cutlet and tonkatsu sauce

Monte Cristo: egg-dipped (important) fried bread, ham, melted swiss, dusted with powdered sugar (typically served with fruit jam)

Jambon-Beurre: french baguette, raw butter and generous folds of ham

Doner: flatbread, carved spit-roasted meat, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a mix of garlic yogurt and chili sauces (you can get creative here)

Torta: telera roll, ham, beans, white cheese, avocado, tomato, and lettuce

Bánh Mì: french baguette, pâté, pork (or any cold cuts), pickled daikon and carrot, cucumber, cilantro, mayo and chili

Kaya Toast: toasted bread, sweet pandan-coconut kaya and a thick slab of cold butter

Patty Melt: griddled rye, beef patty, caramelized onions and melted cheese

Croque Monsieur: toasted white bread, ham, gruyère, béchamel, topped with chives

Chivito: soft buttered bun, thinly sliced steak, ham, bacon, mozzarella, fried egg, lettuce, tomato, and mayo

Ice Cream: two soft wafers (or bread if you’re going Singaporean style) around a thick slab of vanilla ice cream (don’t hate it until you try!!)

Porchetta: crusty ciabatta, thinly sliced roasted pork, provolone, tomato, and arugula

Muffuletta: round sesame loaf, mortadella, salami, ham, provolone, and tangy olive salad

Reuben: griddled rye, corned beef, swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and russian / thousand island dressing

BLT: toasted bread, crisp bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo (traditionally no cheese but… sometimes rules are meant to be broken)

What’s your favorite sandwich?

Summer fruits bingo

It’s going to be a beautiful summer. What fruits are you looking forward to the most? 🤩

You’ll find your greatest ideas in deep leisure

The greatest ideas are delivered in deep leisure. It's Sunday. Make yourself a beautiful affogato, go on an aimless stroll and let your mind wander.

Summer is for tasteful dessert

Make tasteful, healthy & hydrating desserts this summer. Pour a shot of espresso over real ice cream. Make watermelon granita. Enjoy a blueberry fool. Bake a basque cheesecake for your friends (it's easier than you think). Watch Wimbledon with strawberries & cream. You deserve a treat!

❋ Easy Dutch Baby Pancake (Looks Fancy, So Simple)

“A Dutch baby pancake is basically a cross between a crepe and a pancake if you ask me. It's a puffed up pancake that's baked in the oven and rises with the magic of eggs, creating a spongy popover treat that's dusted with powdered sugar, lemon zest, fruit and syrup. This will be the easiest and most rewarding breakfast recipe you'll ever make!

Breakfast doesn’t have to be complicated. The Dutch baby pancake is proof that with just a few simple ingredients, you can create something extraordinary!

The beauty of a Dutch baby pancake is right when you pull it from the oven. It’s full of life, expressive and it always takes a different shape or form. Don’t be disappointed as it collapses as this is normal once it hits the cool air from leaving the oven. Enjoy its beauty while you can as it’s somewhat magical!

A Dutch baby pancake is a unique breakfast and a pure delight. It blends the characteristics of a crepe and a pancake into a fluffy, delicious creation. It’s a German pancake that will forever become a favourite for breakfast or brunch for the family!”

❋ Sourdough Cinnamon Sticks (discard recipe)

“If you’re looking for a fun and easy way to use up your sourdough discard, these cinnamon sticks are just the thing. Soft, buttery, and coated in a crackly cinnamon-sugar layer, they’re everything you love about a cinnamon roll—without the rolling. Finished with a simple cream cheese glaze, they make the perfect cozy treat for breakfast, dessert, or an afternoon pick-me-up. This discard recipe comes together quickly and makes a generous batch to share (or not!).”

❋ 3 Pairs of Shoes for a Summer Trip by

“One moment you’re walking through a dusty old town in 32-degree heat. The next, you’re at a dinner table pretending you understand the wine list. Your shoes need to survive both and everything else in between.

Ideally, your suitcase covers three bases:

• something smart enough for linen trousers and evening drinks,

• something airy for beachside wandering,

• and something comfortable enough for cobblestones, stairs, and “it’s only a 20-minute walk” lies.” —

❋ Striped Rhubarb and Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta by

“There is no sweeter way to celebrate forced rhubarb season than with these cuties. Creamy vanilla bean panna cotta balances out the tart bite of pink rhubarb jelly for the perfect not-too-sweet dessert.

This recipe makes 8 panna cottas. My molds hold 140ml each. Depending on the size of yours, you might need to tweak things a little.” —

❋ Banana coffee cake pancakes (w/ warm vanilla bourbon maple syrup) by

“These Banana Coffee Cake Pancakes are soft, fluffy, and perfectly tender in the middle with that beautifully golden exterior and crisp edges. Then you get the warm cinnamon streusel — it caramelizes on the bottom, melts into the middle, and crisps up on top as they cook, and the way it works with that warm, sweet banana flavor is like nothing else. Every bite is cozy, warm, and feels like the best parts of a coffee cake and a stack of pancakes all at once.” —

❋ Iced Maple Cardamom Latte

“The idea for this simple drink was inspired by my favorite latte from a little town called Lusten, at a coffee shop named Fika, on our trek up North to the cabin. Fika translates to coffee break, which is an understood, universal, planned daily break in Sweden. Maybe you don’t need a baby or a pandemic or anything else to take good, simple care of yourself every day. Twist my finger and pull a shot of espresso: it’s coffee break time.

This is one of those no recipes, recipes, where all you need is a dash, a splash, a glug, a handful, a pinch, and a shot—of milk, ice, cardamom, maple syrup, salt, and espresso. Let your tastebuds guide you on the specifics.”

❋ The Green Conspiracy by

“There is a starkness to November you feel when its wicked winds rip through the high places, tearing away leaf and cloud alike, leaving nothing between you and the void of space. It feels as though you are more vulnerable then, more scrutinized by the world and all its wounded ways, judged harshly for the faults that are not wholly your own. It is hard to describe, but you know the feeling; the trees are bare, the sky contains but distant stars apathetic to your condition, and it seems you are weighed and measured in a way that is not fully fair. Winter arrives whether you are ready or not and there is little leniency given for the ill prepared bare in the cold light.

Not so in the early days of June. Here you can walk along the old stone walls amid the just-born calves, the fully-leafed maples and birches creating a protective tunnel for you. There in the green places, shielded from the uncaring harsh-light of space and sin and the wounded world, you are able to slow and notice creation again. The salamander, the moss, the fiddlehead fern. Those ferns, not fully unfurled, resemble something nearly arcane in these late spring days: a shepherd’s crook, a crozier, a staff. Sheltered away from the demands and neon noise of the modern world, strolling or even sitting amid those ferns more appropriate for a fairy tale than real life, you may even allow yourself to contemplate the not-wholly-real. A day dream, a fantasy, even magic. You remember, however faintly, the sort of imagination you possessed as a child before adulthood narrowed, blended, and reshaped everything toward the greasy grey ease of utility and speed. The green world quiets everything just enough so that part of you, the part that still dreams and wonders, can knuckle up back from the wet loam into the light for a little while.” —

Rebuild your IG Algorithm (more fun links):

❋ Magazines are becoming cool again

❋ The history of the ring

❋ The easiest way to cut a pineapple

❋ Vintage plastic-free ice maker

❋ Olive oil fried dates over Greek yogurt

❋ 3 color combos for Summer

❋ The sound of an Italian summer

❋ Pineapple upside down cake

❋ Honey ice cream & beeswax paper recipes

Have an amazing week!
— Rocky

Share

❋ All our digital issues are free to peruse. Explore our latest:

❋ Winter 25/26 Coffee Table Book (Print)

❋ Explore the full WARKITCHEN archive here.

❋ June's Spotify Playlist

❋ Got an article or recipe in mind? We’d love to hear more! Please send your pitch to rocky@warkitchen.net.

Welcome to a beautiful June! Strawberries are everywhere. Ataulfo mangoes are at their absolute best. Cherries are sweet. Peaches have arrived. There’s a lot to enjoy this month!

As we’ve done the past few months, we organized June’s fruits by where they are in their season: Late (grab them now), Peak (they taste their BEST), and Early (just arriving). For each one, here are some tips on how you can choose the best tasting fruit and ways you can enjoy them.

Late Season (Get Them Now)

Rhubarb

How to choose? Yes, rhubarb is technically a vegetable but it gets the honorary fruit treatment because it lives in the best pies and compotes hehe. Look for firm, crisp stalks with deep red or pink color! The deeper the color, the sweeter it will be. Avoid limp or browning stalks. This is genuinely your last good month for rhubarb!

How to use? Rhubarb and strawberries are the classic June pairing. Compote it for Basque cheesecake or simply simmer it down for homemade jam. If you’ve been waiting to make rhubarb anything this year, now is the time. has some really great rhubarb recipes in her May seasonal menu series.

Loquats

How to choose? Loquats are still around but on their way out! Look for plump, golden orange fruits with smooth skin and a slight give when you press them. Skip anything overly bruised or with brown spots. The best loquats are local!

How to use? Eat them out of hand, skin and all (the skin is thin enough to enjoy). If you’ve never had loquats, this is your last good window before next April! I’ve also really enjoyed chocolate-covered loquats.

Peak Season (Tastes the Best)

Strawberries

How to choose? Deep, uniform red all the way through. No white shoulders. They should smell like strawberries before you even get close to them!

How to use? Raw, obviously. Maybe with a little yogurt if you want a heavier snack. Add some raw honey, sprinkle some cacao nibs. Remember, if you’re making rhubarb anything this June, always add strawberries!!

Apricots

How to choose? June is California’s apricot peak. Look for uniform deep orange with a slight blush! They should be slightly soft and beautifully fragrant. Avoid anything that’s rock hard (those won’t ripen well).

How to use? A perfectly ripe apricot at room temperature is one of the great simple pleasures in life. If they’re still firm, halve them, pit them, roast at 400°F until they collapse and serve with raw honey or vanilla bean ice cream. If you find yourself with an abundance of apricots, you can always make great jam!

Cherries

How to choose? Look for plump, glossy cherries with bright green stems still attached. The stem is always the giveaway! Dry, brown, or missing stems mean the cherries have been sitting around. Skin should be a crimson red to a deep mahogany.

How to use? Cold, by the handful, while you watch Roland Garros hehe. You can also lightly roast them with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and serve over yogurt. Or make a clafoutis - the French dessert that’s somehow baked custard with cherries (recipe linked below).

Blueberries

How to choose? Always look for firm, plump blueberries with a uniform deep blue. It’s fine if they have slight “white bloom” on their skin. Always avoid packets that have blueberries leaking (or crushed) at the bottom.

How to use? Wash and eat by the handful. Prioritize organic if you can (blueberries are on the Dirty Dozen list). Throw them into everything: yogurt, pancakes, smoothies, sourdough. Blueberries are one of the most antioxidant-rich foods you can put in your body and June is when they’re at their best AND most affordable.

Mulberries

How to choose? Mulberries are rare! You can usually find them at farmers markets or niche Mediterranean grocers. Look for deeply colored, dark purple / red berries. They should feel slightly delicate in your hands but never crushed.

How to use? Eat them fresh! I always say they’re blackberry’s sweeter cousin. You can also use the opportunity to make an incredible jam that’s hard to find in a regular supermarket.

Lychees

How to choose? Look for bright red to pinkish-red shells with minimal browning. They should feel slightly soft when you squeeze them gently. Avoid anything that smells fermented.

How to use? Peel and eat! If you’ve never had a lychee I’d say it tastes like a chunkier grape with a larger seed. Lychees also make an incredible water cocktail with sparkling water, mint, and a squeeze of lime.

Ataulfo Mangoes

How to choose? Deep golden yellow. No green. They should feel soft but not mushy (similar to how a perfect avocado feels). Wrinkles on the skin are fine, but consume immediately if so!

How to use? Mexican Ataulfos (also called Honey Mangoes) are one of the sweetest mangoes you can buy. Eat them raw. Slice them into yogurt. Make mango sticky rice. Just don’t cook them, the texture is too perfect to mess with.

Hass Avocado

How to choose? For eating immediately, look for dark green to almost black skin with a slight give. For eating later in the week, buy firmer, greener ones and let them ripen on your counter.

How to use? Smashed on sourdough with sea salt and niche extra virgin olive oil. Sliced into a salad with a citrus dressing. June Hass avocados are at their peak in California right now, so they should be cheap and incredibly tasty!

Papaya

How to choose? Look for papayas turning from green to golden-yellow, with skin that’s slightly soft to the touch. A ripe papaya will have a very gentle, sweet fragrance. Avoid anything with sunken spots or sour smells.

How to use? Slice in half, scoop out the seeds, and squeeze fresh lime over the flesh (this elevates them, trust me). Also incredible in fruit salads or blended into a smoothie with banana and lime.

Pineapple

How to choose? A heavy pineapple is a good pineapple. Always more golden-yellow than green. Leaves should pull out with a gentle tug.

How to use? Eat fresh! You can char thick slices and serve with ice cream. Or do a pineapple-lime water cocktail and practice deep leisure.

Early Season (Just Arriving)

Peaches

How to choose? June peaches are the first wave from California. Look for a uniform golden color with a slight red blush. They should give slightly when pressed near the stem. Avoid green or really hard peaches. Always smell them too! If they smell like nothing, they’ll taste like nothing.

How to use? Eat them raw. Grill them. Bake into a peach cobbler. Slice over burrata with basil and good extra virgin olive oil. June peaches are good but July and August peaches will be better, so please pace yourself!

Nectarines

How to choose? Same as peaches but with smooth skin. Look for deep red-orange color with no green. A ripe nectarine smells obvious from a few feet away (I might be exaggerating here).

How to use? Same as peaches really. They’re interchangeable in almost every recipe! The lack of fuzz makes them slightly easier to grill and slice into salads.

Plums

How to choose? First California plums of the season are arriving. Look for firm fruit with a slight give and a bright “bloom” on the skin (that natural waxy coating). Black, red, or yellow depending on variety. Avoid anything with sunken or mushy spots.

How to use? Plums get sweeter and better as the summer progresses, so these early ones are best cooked! Roast them with cinnamon and honey. Bake them into a clafoutis (same recipe works). Or stew them down for a compote that goes beautifully with yogurt.

Raspberries

How to choose? Look for plump, dry (!!), brightly colored berries. They should be firm but not hard. Inspect the bottom of the container for crushed or moldy ones (mold spreads fast in raspberries).

How to use? Raw by the handful! Fold into full fat yogurt with raw honey. Raspberries are also incredible with dark chocolate.

Blackberries

How to choose? Plump, deeply colored! There shouldn’t be any red (those are unripe). They should feel slightly soft but not mushy. Smell them, ripe blackberries are incredible.

How to use? Eat them fresh! Bake into a crumble. Blackberries also pair really well with savory things, like roasted duck or a sharp blue cheese.

Gooseberries

How to choose? Gooseberries are hard to find unless you’re at a farmers market or specialty grocer! Look for firm berries with their distinctive translucent stripes still visible. Green ones are tart and great for cooking and the red / pink ones are sweeter and better for eating raw.

How to use? Make a classic English gooseberry fool (recipe linked below). Bake them into a tart with custard. Gooseberries are one of those forgotten fruits and June is the only time you can really get them.

Watermelon

How to choose? The best watermelons always feel heavy for their size. A creamy yellow spot on the bottom (where it sat on the ground while ripening) is a great sign! Tap it and it should sound hollow, almost like a drum. Avoid anything that sounds dull or feels light.

How to use? Cold! In wedges. On a hot day. Remember to eat the rind too. If you want to get creative, cube it and toss with feta, mint, and a squeeze of lime. Or blend with some lime juice for the most hydrating summer drink possible.

Honeydew

How to choose? Look for creamy yellowish white skin. It should feel heavy and the bottom should give slightly when pressed. A ripe honeydew has a subtle floral smell.

How to use? Eat it raw! Or you can wrap with thin prosciutto for an easy appetizer. Honeydew is just arriving so the truly great ones won’t hit until July.

On eating seasonally (not a rule, just a beautiful idea)

Here at the WARKITCHEN we talk about seasonal eating a lot. Our monthly fruit posts are some of your favorite and we can’t thank you enough for your support. But I just thought I’d leave you with some notes on seasonal eating. While it isn’t a rule, it’s always nice to eat seasonally when you can.

With how our global supply chain is now, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with having raspberries in November (you can, and nobody will stop you if you’re craving for it). Just know that they won’t taste as good as they are when they’re in season. And they probably cost more too!

I’ve found that when you commit to eating seasonally, fruit (and produce in general) becomes special. You look forward to when berries are in season and you get excited to try all these recipes you’ve been bookmarking all winter.

You’re also eating fruits that your body absolutely needs for that time of year! Vitamin C in citrus during deep winter. Watermelon and berries when you’re playing tennis in peak summer and need real hydration. Nature knows best.

A quick note for international friends

This list is built around the North American calendar (mostly California, Florida, and Mexico, which is where most US grocery store fruit comes from).

So if you’re in Australia or New Zealand, June is your winter! The calendar flips. Right now you’re getting peak citrus (mandarins, navel oranges, blood oranges, etc), apples and pears coming into their best storage months, persimmons, kiwifruit and it’s the start of avocado season for you.

If you’re in the tropics, you basically get to skip seasonality. Mangoes, papayas, pineapples, bananas are usually available year round. Though you do get some peaks of durian, lychees, longans during “summer months”.

If you’re in the UK or Europe, your calendar runs about 2-3 weeks behind North America (as a very simple rule of thumb)! This means strawberries are at peak (especially British Wimbledon strawberries) late June. Gooseberries, currants, cherries, and the first apricots are also arriving!

For everyone else, the rough rule is that if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, this list applies with minor shifts! Southern Hemisphere, flip everything six months.

What are you excited for this June?

Foods for healthier blood

Your blood is FLUID tissue that touches every system in your body. Your energy. Focus. Mood. Recovery. It all depends on the quality of your blood. There's a reason the elites are injecting themselves with young blood but that's a topic for another day...

What you should know is that you can IMPROVE the quality of your blood by eating the right foods. Snack on pomegranate to fight arterial plaque and improve blood circulation. Eat bone marrow (like supports like) to rebuild blood and improve oxygen transport. Always eat your eggs to fight anemia (eggs good). Spread liver pâté on sourdough to restore your energy. Have pickled beets to improve blood circulation. These are foods for healthier blood.

We need to go back to warm lighting

If you want to change how your room feels, change your lighting. Replace your single bright light source for a number of smaller warm lamps. Complete mood flip. Circadian friendly. The body just knows.

❋ 11 Grilling Mistakes That Are Ruining Your Cookout by

“As grilling season kicks into full gear, millions of Americans will dust off their grills, throw on some burgers, and make the same mistakes they’ve been making for years.

The funny thing is, most grilling disasters aren’t caused by bad ingredients but instead by bad habits.

After decades as a chef, restaurateur, and guy who will find just about any excuse to cook over live fire, I’ve learned that great grilling isn’t about expensive equipment or fancy techniques. Great grilling is about avoiding a handful of common mistakes.

If you can fix these 11 things, you’ll immediately cook better food this summer.” —

❋ Classic French Cherry Clafoutis

“Clafoutis (pronounced kla-foo-tee) is one of those funny French words that makes a dish sound so fancy, while it’s actually so simple to make. Some fresh seasonal cherries and a few basic baking ingredients (flour, sugar, eggs and milk) is all you need to create this utterly delicious dessert in your own kitchen.

So if you’ve never tried to make a Cherry Clafoutis at home before, stay with me – you’ll be amazed how easy it is to prepare it!”

❋ How to Lower LDL Cholesterol Naturally by [Paid Post]

“Cholesterol is an essential-to-life fatty compound. Most of it is made in the body, by the liver, but some is also found in animal foods, like eggs and meat. Cholesterol is the “raw material” used to make all hormones and synthesize vitamin D. It is used to make bile and thus helps with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and the elimination of fat-soluble toxins, like environmental estrogens. It is also a structural “building block,” used to make cell membranes and other cellular components.¹

Between 70-80% of all cholesterol in circulation is made in the body rather than absorbed from the foods you eat.²³ Yes, you read that right. Most of the cholesterol in your body doesn’t come from dietary cholesterol!” —

❋ Pistachio Latte Sandwich Cookies

“The main star ingredient in these cookies is pistachio and we're using it two ways in the cookie: ground pistachios in the shortbread dough and pistachio cream for the centres. After the pistachio cookies have been stamped and baked, we're piping a ring of coffee cheesecake cream and filling the centres with a big dollop of the pistachio cream.”

❋ Strawberry & Pomegranate Jam by

“We’re starting off with a nice, simple jam. I love strawberries but plain strawberry jam can be a little boring, I find myself wanting something extra to give it a little oomph. Often I use citric acid in my jams to add a bit of freshness but for this jam we’re using pomegranate molasses. Pomegranate molasses is just a really strong reduction of pomegranate juice, this is perfect because it saves us messing around with fresh pomegranate and it adds some much needed acidity and an almost savoury note.

I’m also using a sprig of fresh mint in this jam, the aim of this isn’t to make the jam taste MINTY, it’s just to season it and add another layer of flavour.” —

❋ How to make gooseberry fool, the quintessential taste of English summer

“Lots of different things piled on a plate just makes a mess and having too many ingredients or garnishes is an opportunity for accidents and attracting wasps. Logistics aside, the first fruits of summer – whether it is peas or gooseberries, melons or tomatoes – should sing clear and sweet. And they need not be messed about with.

This is the quintessential taste of English summer. I like mine quite tart, but you can add sugar to suit your own taste. The rice is there to give the purée a bit of body, so the fool is not too runny. This is best made the day before.”

More links:

❋ The best love language

❋ Nyonya kuih

❋ Pain au chocolat

❋ Tatler’s Best Burgers

❋ Vanilla Ice Cream with Olive Oil and Dates

❋ Toasted Affogato

❋ Edible Flower Madeleines

❋ Brown Butter Banana Bread

❋ Roast Chicken Method

Have an amazing rest of your week!
— Rocky

Share

❋ All our digital issues are free to peruse. Explore our latest:

❋ Winter 25/26 Coffee Table Book (Print)

❋ Explore the full WARKITCHEN archive here.

❋ June's Spotify Playlist

❋ Got an article or recipe in mind? We’d love to hear more! Please send your pitch to rocky@warkitchen.net.